The Madrigal: Princess Tutu and the Secret Six II
by paladin313
Summary: Sequel to "Princess Tutu and the Secret Six." Read part one first. Two new threats seek to take away all that has made the six what they are, one outside the law, and one above it. Can they put the threat down before they lose all they hold dear.
1. Chapter 1

**The Madrigal: Princess Tutu and the Secret Six II**

_To Enuwey: who has inspired me not to give up on this story line, helping me to know that there is always an audience, despite your critics._

Prologue

The doctor's phone rang, cutting through the silence of the late night he was spending in his office. His science and research corporation sat high on one of the more prominent buildings in Fawcett City, in a spot reserved for only the top executives. He had spent much time building up his empire, trying to emulate the company from which he was awaiting this call. Indeed, he had much work to do, and he would have been further had it not been for the constant interference of the one he called the Big Red Cheese. He had been pacing his large office that was filled with windows from floor to ceiling that marked a corner office of the building he and his own engineers had designed. He sat behind his chestnut wood desk, staring at the dark red carpet, contemplating where things were going to go when the call came through. Normally, he would not be here so late if it were not for the importance of the call. He was old, and the stress on him for what was demanded of him was not helping the aging process. His face indeed showed the track marks of age, as did his glasses with the Coke bottle lenses. He was quick to snatch up the phone as it rang. There were consequences for not being prompt with this client. "So, what did you find out?" asked the voice on the other end.

"It was as you expected," said the doctor, "As the old miners would have said, 'There's gold in dem der hills,' and in this case, black gold.'"

"Excellent!" exclaimed the voice, "What I would ask of you now is to survey and find out how large the field actually is."

"What about the government?" asked the doctor, "You would have certain ones trying to stop you, while the nut cases would be out with their signs and chants…" but he was cut off by the laughter on the other end. "I was once president of the United States. I would call you 'idiot' for that, but you are far to smart. Don't worry about that, my business would be able to press past that with no problem."

"Well, I suspect the oil field does spread a ways, but there is another problem," said the doctor with trepidation.

"Oh, and what would that be?" asked the mysterious person on the other end.

"There is a town there," said the doctor, "It's just 20 miles outside Fawcett City, named for the man who resided there for when he retired."

"Is it big?"

"No, it's probably only got about 3,000 people living there."

"That's easily resolved. We just pay them to move, and provide them with the land, houses, whatnot, which is a small price to pay for what I hope to obtain."

"If it were only that easy."

"What would be the problem?"

"There is also the matter of the school there."

"So, we move the school as well."

"That is not that easy either. The school is world renown."

There was a pause on the other end, and then the man on that side said, "Are you talking about the school of the arts there?"

"Yes, it's the Kinkan Matzuzama School for the Arts: it's both a middle and high school, and the school probably adds another 500 to 700 to the population. Another problem is a new theater being built in the woods not too far from there. It is actually partly owned by three former students and three current students that have a now very famous act."

"You refer to the Pas De Six, do you not?"

"Yes, they are the ones."

"I see. Yet, how hard would it be just to relocate the school. We could easily build them a new one, with fully modern dorms, facilities, and so forth."

"The board of trustees would fight you. They want it there so the students can focus on their studies, just as Kinkan wanted."

There was another pregnant pause, and the man then said, "Give me a little time. We can buy out the act with no problem, and just build them another theater. However, all I have to do is work with the trustees. If Lexcorp was able to make a healthy enough donation beyond the investments that keep the school open, we essentially buy them out, and then Lexcorp owns it in proxy. Then I do what I want."

Indeed this impressed the doctor. He was trying to have access to the resources that Lexcorp did, but he was somewhat new in the investment game. He was glad to be able to do what he had already. The thought of being able to throw money around like that seemed delicious to him, for with it came power. Why run a whole country when you could do it from behind the scenes? "What happens to the theater?" asked the doctor.

"I will find out who they have cosigned with, and work it out with them, or offer them the money to pay off what they owe, and then I control them," said Lex Luthor, "In the meantime, Dr. Savannah, I would like that information on the oil field as soon as possible. Leave the business side to me."

"There could be one other minor problem?" said the doctor.

"What would that be?"

"Actually, there could be two problems. One is the Big Red Cheese."

"I thought he was patrolling Fawcett."

"He has been splitting his time between there and the village. That brings up the second problem. He has a sister like him now, and they work with four other heroes that live in that area, and they call themselves the Secret Six. They could get in the way."

There was a loud laugh on the other side. "Do you think the supers are any problem to me? If we keep it above board, they can do nothing. Believe me, they are strong, but brains outdo brawn any day of the week. They are not even a factor to me."

"I hope your right, Mr. Luthor," said the doctor, "or we are sunk before we even get started."

Chapter 1

Annie Jo Martina was all excited that her producers were able to obtain the act that they did. She had hard competition with the afternoon talk show time slot, but she knew these kids could put her ratings through the roof. She had some trepidation at first. Even though they had a great tour, there was no telling what she would get now. Often, winners and close runners-up of talent shows could be one-trick ponies, or only have enough material in such that they would 'jump the shark' early. She hoped that this was not the case. However, when she met them in the green room before going on, she saw six fresh youths brimming over with energy and enthusiasm. She knew talent when she saw it, considering the number of people that had already been on her show. Normally, people came on to promote a new tour, album, movie, or something like that. However, this seemed different. The only thing they seemed to want to promote was themselves, and even then, they did not look like they were trying. She loved the stoic, black haired German boy. He seemed not to want to say much, but he was quite affectionate with the brunette that stayed by his side. It was as if he was constantly protecting her, always on the lookout for her needs. She contrasted him well, in that; she seemed open, yet quiet, but quiet in the way that would befit a good listener. The one with the almost white hair had a cherubic look to him, and he seemingly almost always seemed to have a grin on his face. This was the first time she had ever met him, and yet, there seemed to be something about him that looked like he was reaching right into her soul, and in a comforting way. His wife had the air of confidence about her: sort of a "take charge" air about her. She had all the markings of high society, and would have probably been more in place at La Scalia. However, she seemed to be at ease in the mix, and doting over the last two. The boy with the black, wavy hair she knew well. If one had watched enough of the news on WHIZ, they would instantly recognize Batson on sight. To see him like this, well, she thought it must have surpassed his greatest expectations, considering how he started out. The red head on his arm constantly was the most childlike, and energetic. If she was not sure that she was looking at a human, she could have sworn she was watching a duck in action. However, there was more swan than duck there, and so she had a unique beauty of her own. She was just hoping things went as well as it seemed to be going. However, the red head spotted her nerves, and said, "We're the one's going on, and you look a wreck!"

Annie did not expect this. Despite being the youngest, she seemed to have all the confidence of a woman that had been doing ballet for 30 years. Annie laughed, and said, "I figured that you would be the ones with the nerves, and I am shaking like a leaf!"

"Are you kidding?" said Ahiru, "I have a swarm of migrating monarchs in my belly right now!"

Annie began to laugh at her trepidation, and realized that all was going to go well. "Let's just go out and have fun," continued Ahiru, "That's what we're going to do."

"Everyone in their places: we go hot in three minutes," thundered the stage manager. They all nodded and prepared to dazzle the crowd.

The show opened, and she started with her stand-up monologue, and then she said, "Now, today's special guest came in second on last year's _Strut Your Stuff_ in a very controversial way. However, they have managed to overcome their critics and have just returned from a successful summer tour and they are our guests for the whole show. Please welcome the Pas De Six!"

The house broke into thunderous applause for the act, and the lights and music began to kick in as the curtain opened. The boys were wearing black peasant shirts, tights, and slippers, while the girls were wearing flowing white silk skirts, flowing shirts with sleeves open on the sides, save for the points here and there where they were tied, white tights and toe shoes. They were also wearing the ear bud microphones, and it looked like they were also going to sing as well as dance. The music playing was _When Doves Cry_, but it was them playing an unplugged version of the song, and they sang it live. As they progressed, there was solo work, duet, pas de deux, and full group harmony in both voice and dance as they conveyed the passion of the song. The lighting crew was working overtime to add the right accent to the already incredible scene being performed before them. When they finished, the din of the crowd began anew, and louder than before. It appeared that the tour only served to tighten them as an act, and people had to remind themselves that three of them were still in an art school. They went to commercial, and they all retrieved their instruments as they went over to the interview desk. When they came back, Mary Jo was ready to get the scoop on the latest doings of the act, as well as wanting to attempt to help the audience to become more intimate with the group.

They came back from commercial, and Annie Jo opened with her characteristic smile and energy. She herself was about 24 years old, so she was young enough to attach to her target crowd, and on this day, to her guests. "Okay and welcome back to the show! I am sitting here with the Pas De Six. That was incredible, guys! Did you do that on tour?"

"That was one we were working on near the end," said Ahiru, "but we never got a chance to finish it, so this was its debut."

Everyone applauded as Annie Jo continued, and said, "Well then, I'm going to have them tell who they are, and their ages, which I am sure most of you know unless you've been living under a rock for the past year!"

That brought some laughs as Annie said, "We'll start at the end:"

"Fakir Schmidt—I'm 18."

"Mary Batson—I'm 15."

"Rue Kuroah Schmidt—I'm 18."

"Mytho Schmidt—I'm 18."

"William Batson—I'm 15."

"I'm Ahiru Arima, and I'm 14."

"Wow, now that's a broad range for age," said Annie, "and you guys act like you have been dancing for five years!"

"I hope we don't look like we're acting," said Billy, "I though we really were dancing!"

That brought a big laugh from the audience, as the sense of humor the group had grown known for came through. Annie then asked, "So, how did all this come together?"

"Well, this may seem odd," said Rue, "but there was a time only two years ago where we were not friends."

"Now that seems strange," responded Annie, "Were you foes or something?"

"Not necessarily," said Mytho, "It's just that there were certain things that kept us a bit at odds with one another."

Fakir wanted to weigh his words well, because he did not want to make it sound like his brother was crazy. Thus, he said, "My brother had some situations happen back in our homeland that caused him to…well…the best way to say it was that he lost his heart, in a sense."

"It was a traumatic experience," said Mytho, playing off the cue, "I somewhat lost all ambition and emotion, and I was basically no more than an automaton. Fakir was very protective of me, but that is where Rue and Duck come into play."

"Who's duck?" asked Annie.

"I am," said Ahiru, "They call me that because 'Ahiru' is the Japanese word for 'duck.' Billy has been calling me 'Baby Duck' for so long now that everyone calls me 'Duck' now. I don't know if I like it, but sometimes you can't shake a nickname once it takes."

"Ah!" exclaimed Annie, "So you two are…you know!"

Ahiru and Billy turned beat red, and that seemed to answer the question. Annie, bringing it back on subject then asked, "So, how did the two girls change things?"

"Well, both I and Duck were rivals for Mytho, and both of us were doing what we could to bring back that heart he had, and that Duck was sure was buried deep inside," answered Rue.

"Of course, I was not sure of their intentions," said Fakir, "and I was suspicious of anyone that could have taken advantage of him. However, despite all that I did, they were actually helping him, and I realized that I had to back off, and then help him rather than cloister him."

"However," queried Annie, "we all know that Mytho and Rue are married now, and we are wondering what happened there. You said that you and Ahiru…"

"You can call me 'Duck,'" said Ahiru, "Everyone does now."

"Okay…well…you said that you two were rivals, so what happened there?" responded Annie.

"There were a few things," said Ahiru, "First, there was the age difference. I was only just at 13 years at the time, and he was kind of my first crush, which was the second thing. I realized that I loved him like a friend, and that it was only affection that I felt. Rue truly had that love for him, and it seemed they had more in common, so I relented."

"After Mytho 'came out,'" added Rue, "and because of how it happened, Duck and I became friends, but we were still rivals, so we were not as good as we could have been. Yet, I ended up loving her so much more when she opened her heart about all of what she said, and told me that she wanted me and Mytho together. At first, there was this touchdown dance going on in my brain, but then it hit me just how much courage and guts it took to tell me something like that, and that she was more concerned about my happiness than her own. She became my little sister after that, and I could not hate her after that."

That was followed by a bunch of "aw" being sounded, and applause, causing Ahiru to go red again. Annie then asked, "Now, where did Billy and Mary come in?"

"I met him the first day I arrived for school last year," answered Ahiru, "He was playing on a rise on the student mall, and his singing and music just pulled you in."

"Was it that which caught your eye?" probed Annie.

"Well, it was that," answered Ahiru, "and the fact that he immediately showed a big, caring heart, a friendly smile and warm personality. I had tripped and fallen, and he was right there to help me up, and then we were talking, and well, it took off."

Billy was the one now that was red, though not as bad as he remembered that first sweet moment when they met. Mary then said, "I was there a couple of days later, and I was totally clueless about my past."

"We are fraternal twins," said Billy, "Because of certain things that happened, we were separated at birth. Dad was an Egyptologist, and he broke an old Egyptian scarab and made pendants out of them. He gave each of us one of the halves, and he was going to use that to identify us. However, tragedy overcame us, and I was orphaned, while Mary was lost in the foster care system."

"Now, I am familiar with you from your anchor work on WHIZ," said Annie, "so I am familiar with your story, and how I heard that you were going to Kinkan to further your skills. How did you two meet?"

"In this case," answered Mary, "It was pure blessed luck! When we discovered the pendants, and how they linked up, Billy informed me about his past, and it was confirmed that I was indeed his sister. So, here we are!"

"How did the act form," asked Annie.

"It was originally Billy's brainchild," responded Fakir.

"I was amazed at how good as singers they were," added Billy, "and how quickly they were able to pick up on harmonies. Then came the annual fall variety show."

Rue chimed in, and she said, "We worked out three pas de deux—a dancing duet—and performed them to contemporary music, and the audience went nuts."

"They were applauding so hard, we did not know what to do," added Mytho, "Billy obtained a guitar from the orchestra and we improved to a song he sang. Now, we were suddenly a song and dance act."

"After that show, as we were walking home, Billy tried some different songs with, and he then suggested that we could have an act," filled in Ahiru, "After that, he bought all of us some instruments that we could easily pick up on, and we began to develop it. Our former teacher, and now our director and choreographer, Gustaph Katt, encouraged us to go forward with the act, and he has been a major inspiration for us. The rest is history."

"Okay, we're going to take an obscene profit break here, and when we come back, we're going to find out more about the act itself."

After the break, Annie said, "Welcome back! We're talking to the Pas De Six today, and hoping to get to know them more. Now, where did the name come from?"

"It's actually a ballet term," said Rue, "It's a French term. A 'pas de deux' means 'the steps of two,' or a duet. Thus, when you add another, it's 'pas de trois, pas de quatre,' and so forth. There are six of us, so it's 'the Pas de Six.'"

"What instruments do you play," inquired Annie.

They went down the line, starting with Fakir, "I play acoustic guitar and bass violin," "I play guitar," "I play concertina, accordion, and keys," "I play violin, drums and percussion," "I play mandolin, banjo, guitar, and keys when Rue plays her other instruments, and we need the keys," "I play 21-key chromatic autoharp and dulcimer."

"Now, I heard you call yourself a 'song-and-dance' act, but it seems more than that," probed Annie.

"We consider ourselves a 'visual madrigal,'" responded Mary.

"What is a 'madrigal'?" furthered Annie.

Mytho chimed in and said, "A madrigal is a form of renaissance poetry that was set to an _a cappella_ ensemble. We try to do the same thing, and add a visual aspect to that if we can."

"The way you talk, it seems like you are in each other's head," reasoned Annie, "Is the teamwork that good?"

"We all have areas we specialize," said Billy, "Fakir is our engineer. He has a good ear in the studio for mixing and such. Mary is our songwriter. Half the songs on our new album are covers, the rest are hers. Rue helps with the choreography, while Mytho has an ear with harmonies, and he helps there. I do the music arranging. Baby Duck is the 'brains of the outfit'!"

"Are you saying she's in charge?" asked Annie.

Rue chimed in and said, "She's the best organizer of strategy for us. When we are kicking around ideas, and we are throwing out the pieces, she just has a way of putting them all together in a sensible form. We then look at her, and say, 'enough said,' and that is it!"

"Now, we have a music video you guys did, and it's based off your tour, right?" asked Annie.

"We covered Simon and Garfunkel's _America_, and added clips from the tour with us singing and playing," said Fakir, "It has some great outtakes!"

"Okay, let's give it a look!"

As the video played, they got out their instruments, and prepared to play one of Mary's originals. Once the video finished to loud applause, they introduced the next song by Mary, and it was a song that dealt with how fate and love brought them together, strengthened them, and how they became as one, and a family. She titled it _Fate Brought Us Together, Love Will See Us Home._ After that was done, Annie then said, "Now, you have one more number to do, right?"

"Yes," said Rue, "We are going to do a piece that we have done to the Hungarian Rhapsody. This one is going to be a classic kind of performance, because we like to show that we can do this as well, and we also hope to expand the horizons for the young people that watch us in dance and music."

"And we'll be back with that after this word."

They quickly went in the back and got into more classical ballet outfits. Using the skills they learned for live performance, they were ready in a flash. The girls were now in the _tutu Grande,_ and boys were in more of the renaissance looking outfits, ready to go. The dance had all the poise and grace of any professional at the Met or with Ballet Russe. For the ones that had not seen this phase of their performances, they were both shocked and impressed at the same time. Almost everyone now had a better appreciation for the classics, and the classic style of ballet, because the kids were showing just how multitalented they were. When it was done, they received a standing ovation that lasted a good minute. After that, Annie thanked them for coming and said her good-byes until the next day. Once the cameras went out, Annie told them, "Kids, I have seen many acts come and go across this stage, and every one of them had promise. Yet, there are some that have managed to 'jump the shark' early. You guys have the potential to go far. Just do not forget to be able to keep reinventing yourselves, because that way, you will always stay current. Thank you again, gang, you guys have so much to offer!"

They thanked her for the gracious words, and went to get changed so the three that were in school could get back in time to prepare for the orientation the next day. They had no idea that the other sides of themselves would have to make an appearance that day.

7


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

After Annie had left them to their own devices, they began to horse around and have fun as they usually did after a great show. Billy decided he was going to tease Ahiru about her clothes a bit. "I have never understood the concept of the grand tutu. I mean, look at it, that has to get in the way!"

"It's for freedom of movement, silly!" said Ahiru, wondering why he would not see that.

"What do you mean?" asked Billy, "You can dance in those skirts."

Rue decided to chime in, and said, "You don't understand, we have to kick that stuff out of the way, and it can drag a bit. If it wasn't fit right, you could take your leg out from under yourself."

Now his sister chimed in, and said, "This way we can do this," and she did the standing "Y", as Rue said, "Or we can do this," and she popped up on one toe, lifting her other leg and crossing it in front of her bent as she crossed her arm across her chest, with her other elbow on her hand, the other on her chin. Ahiru then did a high leg arabesque, as she put her hands under her chin palms down, fingers touching, saying, "Would this look as pretty?"

Billy, seeing that he was being ganged up on, decided to try to defend himself, and went, "Pretty, I would say that. Practical, I am not sure."

"It's practical for us!" said Mary firmly.

"It's not for us guys," said Billy, "For example, when we have to waltz, (and he came up to Ahiru and took position,) look—you have a ton of tutu up your crotch. And then when I make a life, (he went behind his sister,) see—I feel like I am being attacked by an amoeba!"

"Just shut up and do a lift, would you, I want to show you something," said Mary, and Billy complied. He grabbed her at the waist and she gave a jump up. He held her over his head as she arched her back and put her legs in a jette position. As he walked around, she said, "See, this looks visually appealing."

Billy got funny, and said, "Well, I guess it could be good for one thing."

"What's that," Mary asked.

"If I drop you, you have a built in parachute," and he slacked his arms for a split second. Mary felt the shift and put herself back erect as quickly as it was feasible in order not to throw out Billy's back, and snapped, "William H. Batson, don't you even think about it!"

Everyone laughed as he set her back down. Fakir looked at his watch and said, "Come on, we have to get changed up and get you three back to school so you can get ready for orientation tomorrow."

As they went, another drama was playing out with which they would soon get involved.

There had been a rash of bank robberies in the city in the past two weeks. The jobs were being done by a group of five thieves who had gained the name of the Terminator Bandits. They would all dress in boots, jeans, tee-shirts, leather jackets, large and black sunglasses, and slicked back hair. They would hit banks with large picture windows in front; because of the way they would act. One would come in and ask a common question that anyone would ask, but without the glasses, slick hair, and leather jacket on. He then thanks the teller for the information, and that he would be back. A few minutes later, a pick up truck would smash through it, with two in the cab, three in the back, and they would then rob the place. They would time it with when the police would be there, and get away before anyone could act. A large bounty was placed on them by the police, and that was enough to make the man watching this one bank want to act. He stood on a ledge around the corner of a building across the street from a bank that he did all he could to lure the bandits to by finding ways to feed them information about the bank, cameras in the bank, security, and how much actual cash was on hand. All this was in an attempt to catch them red handed, and then move in for a citizen's arrest, (CA,) which was right in line with any good bounty hunter that acted within the law. Sure enough, a purple pick up truck much like the one described in the other jobs was parked at a T-bone intersection across from the bank, and it let out a man in much the same apparel as had been described before. However, because of the reports, he was wearing a blue sweatshirt to try to throw off any suspicion.

He entered the bank, and asked a couple of questions about new accounts, and what was offered. They gave him some brochures and he thanked them sincerely, saying, "We'll, I'll look at these, and I'll be back."

Because he laid it between his other words, the teller did not pick up on it right away. By the time she did, the truck was already on the way. The bounty hunter watched and waited for the job to actually be done. He was not going to charge in and risk the lives of the people in the bank. He rather was going to give chase, lessening the chance of people being hurt. Within about three minutes, the truck pulled out. As it was, the hunter was already jumping down, using a light pole and a tree limb to guide him down. He hopped onto the high powered black and white BMW motorcycle and gunned it up as the truck started to pull away. He tore after them, knowing that a $10,000 payday awaited him if he could make the collar.

The six were outside the building in which the studio sat, being followed by both Mr. Katt and Mr. Tawny. Mr. Tawny approached the kids and said, "Well, personal appearances don't seem to pay as much as your other shows, but its great publicity anyway."

"I just thought it was fun," said Ahiru.

"I'm glad to hear that," responded Mr. Tawny, "Keep that good attitude, and I'll take care of these things. No need for money worries breaking your concentration when you do the voodoo you do do so well."

Billy laughed, and said, "You and that dry sense of humor or yours—you're going to kill someone with it someday!"

Katt and Tawny both got into their own cars to go discuss a few act related matters, and the kids were heading for the van. After the cats had left, they heard the roar of a large hemi engine heading in their direction. It shot by in a blur, followed by the sound of a loud motorcycle in hot pursuit. It was moving so fast that they could not see very well who rode on it. All they could guess was that he was wearing black bike leathers. However, about three cars from Fawcett's finest were also in pursuit, lights and sirens wailing away. "It just couldn't be a quiet day, could it," said Rue, who was already heading into the back of the van with the others to make a certain transformation. Billy and Mary were already moving once they saw the sight. They ducked into an alley and both hollered, "SHAZAM!" preparing to jump into action with the rest of the Secret Six. The van was also black and unassuming, but inside laid a mini-crime computer and crime lab, as well as anything they needed to do what they did. It also had a 427 engine under the hood, and a wider wheel base than other vans for making high speed turns. It began to tear off as the Marvels followed up.

As they were catching up to the pursuit, the Marvels got ahead to see what was going on. It looked like the Terminator Bandits that they had read about in the papers, but they had never seen the person chasing them before. In fact, by the way he was dressed; they knew they had not seen this person, because they would have remembered something like that. He, (or she—they were not sure yet,) was wearing black racing leathers, motorcycle boots with white trim, steel racing plates on the shins up to the knees, white motorcycle gloves, a black, open faced helmet with a pair of highlighted bird's eyes, with a tinted glass visor that hung down below the nose that had the appearance of a straight bird's beak. He or she was wearing a cape shaped like a pair of bird's wings, all black, except for the feathered ends, which were white. With this person bent over it was hard to see anything else. The biker was fixed like a laser beam on the truck ahead, slowly gaining on the target, but still keeping a distance of sorts. The men in the truck saw the pursuit, and then bore their shotguns on the target. The hunter saw this, and he was about take evasive action when two red blurs appeared in front of him. He then realized that the Marvels were also in pursuit, and took the rounds that were meant for him. He then saw Captain Marvel whisper something the other Marvel's ear, and she pulled away. Captain Marvel then picked up the truck off the ground and started to take it down the direction of a side road. He cursed under his breath, thinking that he was about to lose a payday. Thus, he found the road, cut a racing turn, and followed up.

Back at the van, Mary appeared at the driver's window, and told Fakir where the Captain was taking the truck, and they cut down the road that would lead them right to the truck. Meanwhile, the police cars were flummoxed. They did not expect such a change of affairs so quickly, and tried to change course and follow the pursuit. It would take them time, though, because they were not as maneuverable as the motorcycle that had been ahead of them. They were not sure, but it seemed that they bounty hunter of whom they had been informed was also in the chase. Since they knew what the reward was, it was easy to see why he would be interested. Marvel set the van down, but before he could blink, the men were already out of the truck on foot. They were heading back down the road from which they came, and ran smack into the rest of the Secret Six. Tutu already had one of the bandits tangled up in a nearby hedge, and White Knight disarmed a shotgun out of the hand of another with his sword, followed up by a spinning kick to the gut. The bandit, though big and muscular, was on the ground in a fetal position. His eyes did not close, for they too wanted to know what had hit them! Another came up to Claire, tried to bring up the shotgun, but she was too quick with the barrel, batting it upwards, grabbing the wooden handgrip under the barrel, and whipping the man around to the ground, disarming him. He stumbled to his feet, not knowing what she intended with the gun, but was then shocked when she tossed it aside. She looked athletic, but he was bigger and stronger, and he thought he had it made. He grinned and started to approach. However, since she had twice the strength, speed, and agility in this state, (not to mention the Aikijutsu and Tai Chi training that she had,) he was in for a surprise and a rough ending to his day. He charged, and she knuckle locked with the man. She then twisted his wrist and started to turn him as he began to flip. He hit the wall upside down hard, and then slid to the ground and conked his head, leaving him with a pretty good concussion. The fourth was tackled midriff, and he went down hard. However, when his attacker rolled away, he was on his feet, but not as fast as Black Knight, who hit him solar plexus and chin about fifteen times before he could react. He was out before he hit the ground. The last one was getting away with the loot, but they figured that the Marvels could handle that. However, before that could happen, the man on the bike appeared, the white bird emblem on his chest being clearly seen now, as was his face cover that went up to cover his nose, so only his eyes could be seen, and the white utility belt that he wore. The last man brought his shotgun to bear, but the man managed to snatch the barrel and even snatch the shotgun out of the man's hand before could react. The bird looking man tossed it aside, knowing that this bounty was only good if the man was taken alive. However, the last bandit, (bigger than the rest,) produced a healthy bowie knife and looked skilled in using it. Yet, before he could do any damage with it, the hand that held the knife was twisted, and then broken at the elbow. This was followed by a spinning foreleg to the gut that brought the man down in a heap. In a short time, the Terminator Bandits' crime spree was over. The bird man pulled out plastic pull ties and started to restrain all the men, saying, "Thank you for the help, but this bounty's mine!"

"Have at it," said Fakir, "We just do this as a public service."

"That means you have the money to do this," said the man, "I don't, and this is how I am able to do this—bounties."

Tutu, ever the congenial one, came up, smiled, and said, "And may I have your name?"

"Just call me the Magpie," said the man, and he went to deal with the now approaching police. The police recognized the Marvels and the rest of the team, and thanked them for the help. "You know, there is a bounty on these guys. We could split it between you seven…" but Captain Marvel said, "That's okay. Just give it to the Magpie here. He stopped the important one before he got away with the money."

Magpie nodded his approval as the six headed out. Magpie then gave a report, and then gave them a card. "Contact my manager—Johnny White Wolf. He takes care of the financial side, and all you need to do is tell him where to pick up the check."

With that, got on his bike and left as the police and EMT people took care of business.

Oddly enough, the whole affair was being watched. In a shop across the street marked "Otto's Toy Shop." The proprietor of the shop was watching keenly as he adjusted his owl eyed glasses on his pointy nose. He was an old, balding man who had the Benjamin Franklin haircut. He had an old, friendly, but wrinkled face and a warm smile. He wore a white peasant shirt, dark green apron with various pencils, pens, and various tools in the pockets, brown trousers and tan shoes. He was old, but still cut an imposing figure for his age. His specialty was mechanical dolls that were designed in the old style. Even though the kids loved the new, electronic gadgets, there was still a wide market for what he built. However, as he watched, he said, "Tisk, tisk, tisk: the young people of today are so sloppy. They were too loud and brash. I knew they would be caught before long."

He then turned to his creations around him and said, "But soon, they shall see the true genius of Otto Drosselmyer. Ah, my lovelies—soon you shall show these people what true crime is all about!"

He lovingly caressed the dolls one by one, knowing that they would soon make him a wealthy and powerful man. Sure, there was still a market for his work. Yet, for years, he tried to get science and society to recognize the practical uses for his mechanical genius, and he was turned down flat at every hand. Even that Dr. Savannah would not touch him. Lexcorp laughed at him, as did the rest of the world of business and upper crust society. Soon, they would rue the day they laughed at him. As he mused, he went back to his workshop to his masterpiece. He was almost done with this one, and this doll would be unique. It would be self winding, and completely mechanical—no electronics involved. However, it would be the first true artificial intelligence. Such things had been discovered even back in colonial times. All that needed to happen was to have the right things preset inside the mechanical dolls, and they would behave right. They could even mimic breathing, and there was not an ounce of electronics in them. He set this one so that it could have senses and even talk. In fact, the inside was completely set up as if it were a human, but every organ, bone, and piece of tissue was mechanical, inside a body of wood. The head contained the countless pins and wires that would make everything work once it was initially wound up to work, and the rest would take care of itself. Many of the pin settings would act like memory, and it could then learn and act as it was told. This one would make the world turn on its ear. "Oh, my dear Uzzura—you are going to be my masterpiece. You could usher in a whole new existence. I cannot wait for the day to activate you!"

By the time the got to Kinkan, they had all gone back to themselves, and Rue said, "We'll be by for your placement trials tomorrow. However, it would shock me if you three didn't make advance placement again. We'll practice after, but we will not be there on Wednesday: we have to go over the blocking for the city ballet's next show."

"Then we'll kick around some new ideas on that day," said Ahiru, "We'll see you tomorrow."

They turned to enter the gate, and that is when they saw the limousine. They had just come in as the passenger stepped out to greet Mr. Johansson. They seemed cordial enough, and that was when they recognized former President Luthor who had gone back to heading Lexcorp after he left the White House. Ahiru and Mary just thought it neat that he would be here, but Billy got an angry look on his face. The girls were both surprised when they heard Billy spit out, "Oh God! What is HE doing here?"

5


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

When Billy saw Luthor, the only thing he knew is that there was going to be problems. Instinctively, he marched right up to the limo without even thinking about it. Ahiru and Mary quickly marched right up behind Billy, not sure what his intentions were. A man in a suit with sunglasses immediately saw Billy's rapid approach and tried to grab him, but the man was surprised when he fast found himself on the ground with barely any contact. Luthor saw this and was actually amused. When the man, obviously a secret service agent, (as he was the last ex-president afforded the luxury of one,) started to arise to engage the scrappy youth, Luthor just laughed and waved him off. "I would quit while you're behind, Charlie," said Luthor, "If I recognize this fine lad, he probably knows more on how to fight than they taught you at the academy!"

Luthor then turned his attention to Billy, and said, "Billy Batson of WHIZ and the Pas De Six I assume?"

Mr. Johansson looked a bit annoyed, but Billy ignored it, and said, "You assume correctly, Mr. Luthor. Do I assume some kind of hostile takeover here at our school?"

"Mr. Batson!" spat Mr. Johansson, "You stand on the edge of insubordination and dangerously on the edge of expulsion—celebrity or no celebrity! This is no way to treat a guest! If I had my way…"

Luthor put a hand on the headmaster's shoulder, and said, "Its okay, Mr. Johansson—I can understand the young man's trepidation. Sometimes, when Lexcorp is involved with something, things change more than some people care. I can understand someone having pride in his school, and being wary of change. If that were the case here, I would say that he would come around in time. He has a good fighting spirit, which is just the kind of people that I look for when hiring for my company."

He then changed his attention to Billy, and said, "However, Mr. Batson, you need not fear. In fact, I have asked for an escort around the campus, because it is your very act that got me interested. Oddly enough, I watch things like _Strut Your Stuff_ from time to time, and when I saw your act, and how well this school trained you and your friends, it got me interested. I am a purveyor of the arts, as you know, and all I would like to do is give the school a grant—you know, add to the trust that helps fund the school. Whatever helps you fine students, I am all for that."

He patted Billy on the head as if he was a five-year-old boy being praised by his father, tousling his hair. He then turned back to the headmaster and said, "Well, if you would lead the way, I would like to see more of the campus and meet some more of the students."

As they left, Luthor left one glance back at Billy with a smile, and Billy returned it with an indifferent stare, as the secret service agent glared at him. It was not because he had gotten close to the former president like that, but that he had been shown up by a teenage boy. Ahiru was confused, and said, "Would you mind explaining what that was all about?"

"That, Baby Duck, was one Lex Luthor," said Billy, "He runs a multi-faceted business conglomerate called Lexcorp. The Justice League has been tracking him for some time, hoping to catch him with his pants down. I trust him about as far as you could throw him! He has his fingers in organized crime, no question. Yet, he does so much above board, and above the law, it is hard to peg him with any real wrongdoing. Just know that, if he is here, and interested in this school, he has an ulterior motive, no doubt."

"Come on, Duck, we have to get ready for tomorrow," said Mary, taking in the information, but not sure what to think of how her brother reacted. She only wished Mytho had been there. He could have read the man, and then they would have known. With them split up like this, it would be hard to communicate. She could not wait for the Raven's Nest to be completed.

Out in the woods, Dr. Savannah was out there with one of his teams. They were walking through what the students of Kinkan called the Thinking Woods. He had some advanced instruments and probes, testing random points in the ground for traces of petroleum. The amount found would indicate a possible oil field, and if there was one, it's possible size. The trek started early that morning, starting from the largest reading, and went towards the school, where he suspected the field to extend. They had done about fifteen readings that morning, going for miles. Dr. Savannah was glad that, despite his age, he was able to keep up, patting himself on the back for taking good care of himself all those years. They stood now about 400 yards from the school wall, and everywhere they had made a reading, it read the same amount of petroleum as was at the original find. This meant that the oil field was huge, and much bigger than what was suspected. With that data, he then gave the command to wrap it up there, and then to go to the outskirts of Kinkantown and start the process again. He knew that Luthor would be smiling ear to ear with this news.

Billy, for the time being, now had the room to himself. This would make it easier to do more hero work discreetly, and without interruption. He could also spread out a bit, at least for that semester, and make it more of a home. He had never had this much space to himself before, and he wanted to enjoy it. Meanwhile, in the girls' dorm, there were some moves. Mary took in Nana, and Mai, and that left Ahiru with Yuma. However, there was a new girl that they had yet to meet. She had already moved in, but she stepped out before both girls had the chance to see her. One thing was certain; she was in the creative arts. She had an easel, with several colors of oil paint in the holder, along with a slew of brushes and knives, a smock and a platter for holding the paints while she worked. She also had things for water colors, pens and pencils for sketching, and it was clear that two dimensional arts was her thing. However, by some of the drawings and paintings on the walls, she was a huge fan of anime. Not only did she have her interpretations in anime style of Naturo, Sailor Moon, Card Captor Sakura, to name a few, she also had done in anime style Harry Potter, Kim Possible, Pirates of the Caribbean, and other stories she loved. One thing stood out amongst her gallery, however, was the drawings of dancers. They were very diverse in style, and style of dance, but seemed to lean more towards ballet than anything else. By the amount on her wall, it was certain she loved the Japanese styling, and she was quite prolific. They wondered if the whole room would be covered with pictures by the time the year was finished. On the desk, however, were a personal computer, and a printer/scanner. If she got internet access, Yuma and Ahiru agreed to help her pay for it, because it would be a helpful research tool. One new addition did please Ahiru and Mary, and that was Rachel. She was roomed right across the hall from Ahiru, and she came in as a junior in the voice school. She had said that she wanted to remain close to the team, and they were glad that she was able to come. As for the other, well, they knew they would eventually meet her, because she had to "come home" at some point. However, as time passed, she did not show. By the time it was close to curfew, she was still not there. Soon, Yuma and Ahiru drifted off to sleep before curfew, and never saw her return.

The next morning, the girls awoke for their orientation, expecting to meet their new roommate, but they saw no one. Yet, they could tell someone had been there. The bathroom had the last hints of steam evaporating, there was a canvas on the easel, and there was a painting starting, in anime form, of a familiar figure. When they got closer, they saw that there was a CD set there just aside the canvas. A background wash had already been done, and the first parts of a face were coming through. Upon closer examination, they realized that it was the Pas De Six debut album, and that it was Ahiru's face that she was painting, of which Ahiru was very flattered. What they also found odd was that she had been so quiet in returning, painting, and preparing, that she did not awake them. They did not even know her name yet, which added to the mystery. Yuma could take no more, and started to snoop around a bit. Ahiru scolded her, saying, "Hey, that's not right! How would you like someone to go through your things while you're away?"

"Darling Duckie," said Yuma, "If she won't show herself, we might as well look around a bit. I mean, we can't go the whole semester like this."

Ignoring Ahiru, she opened up her closet. She found about three school uniforms, but not much else, save for various colored hoodies and jackets, along with a few pairs of wedge heel boots. She did not have anything as far as formal wear at all. By the looks of the clothes, she was not a petit thing. "Well, I'm not going through her draws, because that would be too much," sighed Yuma, "I guess we shall just have to wait."

With that, the girls got ready.

The orientation went as it had last year with some new and improved good idea/bad idea sketches, while the voice department and music department took turns, but worked with each other when the vocals came in. The orchestra did Mozart's _the Musical Joke_, and the voice department came in singing, of all things, in the madrigal form for some of their numbers, possibly inspired by the Pas De Six. The only difference in the dance department was the absence of Mr. Katt, who had retired and handed things over to Tanya St. John. Nevertheless, the seniors in each sub-department put on a great show. The only thing was that the creative art students had their own separate orientation, and so Yuma and Ahiru would not meet her there. They only hoped that they would meet her soon, and not have a phantom roommate. However, when it came time for the placement tests, they were in for a surprise.

The dancers prepared while those who wished to watch and provide moral support took their seats. This consisted of friends, any family that happened to live nearby, and another presence which drew attention to her by not sitting with the others, but putting a chair with the back to the large picture windows that lined one side of the studio. Upon it sat a brown haired, brown eyed girl of about 17 years, five foot seven, and about 255 pounds, give or take. She had shoulder length hair in a pony tail, and a warm, friendly face that did not betray her weight within it. In fact, she was what one would call thick—a big girl, but properly proportioned for her size, in such a fashion that betrayed some past athleticism. Thus, she held her weight well, and as a result, was attractive in her own way. One thing to note was that she had an IPod attached to her ears, and occasionally went to it to repeat a song that seemed to stand out to her, and to which she wanted to pay more attention. Beside her was a messenger bag, and once things seemed ready to commence, she went to it, pulled out a sketch pad, various types of art pencils, and a digital camera. Apparently, she chose this position to aid her in having the right light without having to use a flash, and thus avoiding distracting the dancers as they worked. As each dancer did their routine, she would put down a rough sketch of each one, and also photographing the ones she apparently found more interesting than the others. However, when it was Ahiru's turn, she set down her sketch book, and began to take several photographs of her in several different poses. If one of the students was already a celebrity, things would not have been allowed. Yet, since she first made use of the sketch book and limited use of the camera, they paid it no mind as they figured that she was a creative art student, and was already preparing for her first assignments. Because she had done that first, her taking several photographs was not questioned at this point, because it would have been written off as her wanting later images of what she thought was the best subject for her project. However, Ahiru took notice of this, and it distracted her at first. Tonya said from behind the table, "Miss Arima, please stop and start again. You cannot let yourself be distracted. I KNOW you dance better than that!"

She recomposed herself, and tried not to let the "art girl" take her attention away. She was able to put in enough to allow her back into the AP class again, and thus, have more time to hone her skills, and work on the act later when that was done. Yuma, on the other hand, looked right at the girl as the dance progressed, and figured that she was looking at their mystery roommate, considering her size, aptitude for art, and an obsession for her roommate and friend. Once Ahiru was done, Yuma brought this to Ahiru's attention, but when she looked to see her, the girl was already gone. "One thing is for sure, Duckie," said Yuma, "for a big girl, she is fast!"

Indeed, Mary, Billy, and Ahiru made the AP class again, but now Ahiru was a bit bugged by the mysterious girl, and her possible roommate and she wanted to take a chance at finding her. She returned to her room to put on her civilian clothes, and noted when she had returned that more of the painting had been finished, and that the painter had not been away too long by the wetness of the paint. She then remembered some of the detective skills she had learned that spring, and tried to take note of anything different. Her messenger bag was not there, but the camera was, and it was attached to the computer. In the printer was some photo quality sheets, and thus, she must have printed out the pictures that she had taken. Leaving the camera out showed that she already had a trust for her roommates and that was comforting. Trying to think the way she would, she had to guess that she had printed the photos, and then went somewhere to do her work where it was the quietest, and the best place for that was the Thinking Woods. After she had changed, she went out to find her new roommate and see if she could get to know her. However, if there was a problem, (and she suspected this by her reluctance to be around people at that point,) this girl could meet someone else of whom she could sketch or paint.

Sitting on a lawn chair with a portable lap table in the Thinking Woods not too far from the school was the new girl. She indeed was doing some work, and she was drawing the different subjects that she had seen that day. She had the photos, and she was doing different ones in different styles, including the manga/anime style. Of course, the ones she had more of were the Ahiru photos, and she was being extra careful with those. Ahiru saw her in the distance, and she thought of approaching her. However, she wondered if she was a big fan, and if she might be asking for something bigger than she wanted to deal with. Since she so dearly wanted to get into her head, she figured that it may be better to let her meet someone else instead. With that, she reached up and grabbed the now ever present pendant and began to glow a golden glow. She lifted off the ground and balled up as the egg chrysalis formed, cleared, popped, and Princess Tutu emerged, straightening herself out and landing in the fifth position, hands above her head, in all her splendor, with her normal radiant and determined look on her face. Dancing to a symphony heard only by her, she danced her way up to the girl, and noticed the IPod stuck in her ears. If she came out here to work, it certainly was not to get in a silent place. Therefore, she took a chance and danced before her. She did not notice at first, being so engrossed in her work, but she did glance up for a brief moment, and then did a double take as she looked up, and was now affixed on the image of beauty before her. Once Tutu saw that she had the girl's attention, she popped up on her right toe, faced toward her, left leg 90 degrees apart from the other and to the side, toe pointed, right hand in the air, left set in the same way as her leg. Her smile was warm enough to melt ice, and that was the intent per se. The girl could not believe what she was seeing, and now suddenly wished that she had not left her camera back in the dorm. Tutu brought both her feet and hands down to the first position crisply as she grinned, and said, "Such pretty artwork—you have such a keen eye for detail and beauty."

Despite the shock of what stood before her, she could not help but crack a smile, genuinely embarrassed at the compliment. "Uh…thank you…uh…who are you?" the girl finally stammered out.

The ballerina curtsied deeply and gracefully, and said, "I am Princess Tutu, the White Swan, and I dance to guide your heart!"

She returned back to standing, only now her feet were in the fifth position. The girl was not certain what to say, considering the surprise with which she appeared, and how warm she was being to a perfect stranger. "You dance to guide my heart?" she asked, not knowing what else to say, and Tutu nodded with a slight cock to her head. "Gee, I don't know what to say," the girl said with all sincerity, "I guess you think my heart needs guiding."

Without any malice, but with her smile and gentleness, Tutu responded, "We all need guidance from time to time. I have been watching you since I first laid eyes on you, and I notice that you don't seem to want to be around people much."

The girl hung her head a touch, and said, "I have to admit, I am a bit shy, but there are reasons."

"Would you care to talk about them?" Tutu asked, and she did her gesture: twirling hands over her head, and then her right hand extended towards her subject, as she demanded gently, "Dance with me!"

A look of confusion came over the artist's face as she cocked her head to the request, and she said, "Um…I'm not sure I'm ready for that, I mean, I don't know."

The girl was now worried that she may have offended the pretty ballerina that took time to meet her, but it certainly did not show on Tutu's face. Tutu returned her hand to the first position, and smiled as she said, "That's okay. Yet, if you ever need someone to talk to about your problems, more often than not, you can find me here."

She then gestured with her arm towards the forest as if she was a prize lady on a game show, and she then asked, "I didn't catch your name."

"Well, I should have dropped it," said the girl, "My name is Elly."

"That is a pretty name," said Tutu with all the sincerity in the world, "I am glad to have met you. Considering that many artists come out here, I will have a chance to see you often. Take care, dearest Elly."

With that, she took the fourth position, reached out, gently caressed her face, returned to the first position, curtsied, and did a quick cabriolet as she danced away. Indeed, there were some things bothering Elly, and her shyness did not help. She did come out to do work, but at the same time, came out to sort out her thoughts. Her illness from the previous two years kept her from keeping up with the outside world, and now it was hard to adjust to being in it, much less being around your peers almost 24/7 in a private school far from home. It was a hard adjustment, and she felt a bit saddened that she had refused such a kind gesture. Yet, even though she had done so, even without trying, she had began to help her. She realized that she would have to meet her roommates at some point, and so she would make the effort that day. "You can't live in a shell forever, Elly," she said to herself, "You have to meet the outside world at some point."

With that, she gathered her things, stuffed the ear buds back into her ears, and rebooted the latest Pas De Six album for the umpteenth time, greatly admiring Ahiru's voice, and her harmonies with the other five. What made it hard was the fact that you were going to room with the girl you so greatly admired from a distance, and you were not sure how it would go, afraid to make some bad faux pas. However, she had to get this over with, and somehow, in that brief moment, because of the willingness to be so kind and open, and to put Elly's needs before her own, she found the courage to meet her at last. Now, with some steel in her resolve, she would meet her, and learn to love her as a friend, and not as an idol.

6


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Nana had already finished her prep for the next day, and she practically skipped her way down to Ahiru's room. She was finally in the intermediate class, and she was glad for it. All her hard work paid off. After the events of the year before, she had redoubled her efforts, her focus, and most of all, her passion for the dance. She even put the skill of visualization back in its right place, except that now, she no longer used Rue as her focus, but she used Ahiru, and more specifically, her alter ego—Princess Tutu. She wanted to find her at home and tell her all about the good news. Now she was slated to be in all the shows, even if only as an ensemble or supernumerary for the time being. It was a start. However, she hoped that, once her friends' new theater opened up, she could get some extra work with them. She knocked, and Yuma answered. "Hello, Pixie," said Yuma in her ever present London accent.

"I made the intermediates this year!" said Nana, "I can't wait! Where's Duck?"

"She said she had to step out for the moment," answered Yuma, "She didn't say why."

"Well, you know where she _usually_ goes when she doesn't say," responded Nana, in her cute French accent.

"Let's not make that common conversation, darling," Yuma reacted, "We must remember there are only a few who know. It's bad enough that many girls are all agog about our dear prima, and others who will never see past a local ballet company want to skin her alive, and would if it were not for her celebrity. The last thing that needs to happen is for us to broadcast over the whole world what she is."

"It seems you have one of those, how you say—agog—girls living here," said Nana, as she pointed to the painting.

"It's ironic," said Yuma, "We haven't met her yet, but she seems to have a keen eye for dancers, especially Duck."

They both moved near the picture, and they were admiring her handiwork. She even had a picture of Princess Tutu on the wall from an image in the newspaper, and this one was done as if she were an anime character. "We are going to have to set some rules for her," said Yuma, "I mean, at first anyway. Once she gets used to it, I am sure she shall calm down her obsession."

"Well, I wouldn't call it 'obsession,'" came a new voice from behind, "but just a strong admiration for her because she's such a good dancer. Her movements and poses have uniqueness to them that accent the light and shadow cast on her."

They stiffened and wheeled around to see the thick but pretty girl standing behind them with a friendly grin. They did not even hear her enter. It was as if she had been beamed in. "Maybe I can catch her at a practice and have her pose in some contrasting light and shadow so I can photograph it, and catch it later in an impressionistic motif."

Yuma was a bit embarrassed at her assumptions, and apologized for her impertinence, she then said, "Greetings, darling, I am Yuma," as she extended her hand. They shook, as Nana said, "_Bonsoir, mademoiselle,_" following that with and extended hand and a curtsey. Elly, not sure how to react, just took her hand without shaking it, and said, "Ballet school, I take it."

"You have a keen eye, mademoiselle," responded Nana.

"Name's Elly," said the new girl, "and I am certain you know what I do in this school."

They all laughed as Ahiru came in. "Why, hello there!" said Ahiru, "Well, I'm glad I finally got the chance to meet you!"

She was about to use her name, but stopped, remembering that she had only met Tutu. She then just asked, "And what is your name?"

"I'm Elly," she said, "but you can just call me 'El' if you want."

"My name is Ahiru Arima," she said, "but everyone calls me 'Duck.'"

Elly noticed the duck on the dresser, and she said, "I guess you like ducks?"

"Actually, there are a couple of other reasons," said Ahiru, "My name means 'duck' in Japanese, and my boyfriend calls me Baby Duck, and I guess people heard it so much that they just call me Duck."

"Not to mention that she also used to act a lot like a duck at one point," Yuma prodded.

"Please!" said Ahiru as she rolled her eyes and smiled as she plopped down on the bed, "I have tried so hard to shed that!"

"Well, you dance like a swan, if you ask me," said Elly, "that makes for some great art."

"If you mean that I am a great model, then thank you," said Ahiru.

As the greetings were finishing, Elly put on the smock, grabbed the placard, and began to smear some daubs of color from the tubes onto them and prepare to continue the work. Indeed, it seemed that her words about not being some kind of fangirl were sincere enough, that she began to focus all her efforts on the portrait before her. This made Ahiru more comfortable, considering that she knew that the girl was a serious artist. Ahiru went up to see how she was progressing. She was working on her long flow of hair that she now wore in place of the braid that marked a time that she wanted to leave behind her. She watched as Elly put out some solid red, scooped out a chunk with her pallet knife, took a touch of yellow and began to mix it together, a bit more yellow here and there, stopping occasionally to hold it against the picture to see if it were the right color, added a touch more red, and then noticed Ahiru. She then turned, held it to her hair, and then said, "Good, I did get it right," as she then turned back to the painting and began to spread out the color with a brush, and then to add texture with the knife when needed. Ahiru was very impressed with what she saw, and noticed that it was a mix of Rembrandt style work, and a bit of Renoir, making it a unique look for herself. It was not that it was what she was trying, but she always let the image she painted dictate how it wanted to be painted, and it just turned out this way. "That is so good!" said Ahiru.

Elly genuinely blushed at the compliment, and thanked her for it. However, Ahiru said, "You know, right before the Holiday Extravaganza this year, our theater will be opening, and they intend to use if for the extravaganza to break it in…sort of."

"Okay, that's cool," said Elly, "Not to be impertinent, but why do you mention this?"

"Well…" said Ahiru, trailing off, "In truth that would look good in the foyer with portraits of the others. It would be kind of neat if you could do everyone like that. We'd pay you, of course!"

Elly turned to her with a raised eyebrow, and said, "Normally, I just do this for fun, and would have never asked for that. However, it would be nice to see my first commission. It would take some time, though, I don't know if I could have them done before the show, but maybe by the end of the year."

"That would be great, if you could," said Ahiru. She watched as she worked a bit more, and then said, "So…Tell us about you!"

"Well, relatively speaking, I do not come from too far away," Elly answered, "Really, I have not much to tell, I mean, what you see is pretty much what you get. I would say that I have loved art for some time, especially when I got into the world of anime and manga. I had loved comic book art, but then I saw that, and it took me away. I like doing that, but I do this, just to make sure that my teachers are satisfied that I have reached the 'fullest expression' of my art. Anyway, I have recently had some time to work on this, and not time for which I really sought."

Her face went long a touch, and Nana caught it, saying, "My poor Cheri: what happened?"

She caught Nana's face, and could not help but see the sympathy, and she looked even cuter like that, so she could not say anything against it. She then said, "To tell you the truth, I had two years where I had mononucleosis—a real bad case, finally breaking last year. It still lingers, but don't worry, the only way that you could get it is if you kissed me, and I don't see you lining up to do that!"

They all laughed at the glib joke, and Elly continued, "Anyway, I slept through about two years of my life, and considering that I had nothing to do during the short times I actually was awake, I just drew art, and read a lot of books and manga, watched anime—not much else to do when you are lethargic."

Now the mood of the room became one of a touch of sadness for the girl, knowing that it must have been hard for her to go on everyday. Elly continued, "In fact, keeping track of time was silly to do after a bit, because of the bouts of sleeping that overcame me. It was hard to tell what day it was from time to time. What I had was the chronic version of the disease, so that is why it lingered. There were some days that were great, and some were living Hell. Imagine having the flu off and on for two years, and you had my life! Because of how hard my infection hit me, I ended up with a compromised immune system, which is why it has taken so long for things to correct themselves. Normally, it goes away on its own, but it sure seems to want to be my pal! Here's the fun part, though—if you could call it that! Anyway, I was so out of touch with things for a bit that I did not even hear about your act until near the end of the summer when your album came out. I had a friend that's all fangirl over Fakir. It gets so annoying to hear her gush over him: 'Fakir is so this, Fakir is so that! I want to marry him! I want to violate him! I want to have his baby!'

Ugh! Gag me with a pitchfork! Anyway, I heard you all singing, and loved it. I then had the chance to catch up better on things, and saw the summer reruns of _Strut Your Stuff_, and then all the controversy over the judging. I though you guys were great! I love great dancing. The fact that you guys play and sing make it better."

Everyone was mesmerized by her story. There was a bittersweet air to her and her speech; you wanted to laugh with her, you wanted to applaud her, you wanted to embrace her and cry with her. Nana wiped a way a couple of tears, and came up and gave her a hug. "Just know that you have friends in us."

Suddenly, Elly's strong exterior started to break a bit, and she began to tear up as she hugged Nana back, saying, "Thank you so much; you are going to make getting back into life so much easier!"

Ahiru smiled, knowing that she had been channeling her alter ego as she learned and progressed, and it seemed some of her rubbed off. Then it dawned on Ahiru, "Oh, by the way Nana, how did you do?"

Nana then smiled, moved away from Elly, and went over to Ahiru, and said, "Oh it is so great, _m'amie__Canarde__!_" (This is French for "My friend Duck.")

"Did you make it?" asked Ahiru with relish.

"I made the intermediates," Nana said gleefully.

"Great!" announced Ahiru, "What got you in?"

"Mademoiselle St. Jean was such a help to me," Nana answered, "Plus, I was able to hone my visualization technique…and…other friends helped me!"

Nana gave Ahiru a knowing look, and Ahiru just smiled. All this was as Elly said, "There! That should do it!"

She put on the last stroke, then got out a fine tip brush, dabbed it in the white, and signed it, finishing with the flourish of any good artist. Indeed, it captured Ahiru greatly, as she as also able to isolate her from the rest, and still get her accurately in one of her poses. "Once I can get more canvas," said Elly, "I can get the others. The school always has scrap available, so that should be no problem."

She yawned some and rubbed her eyes, saying, "Well, it's been a long day, so I'm going to crash."

"A bit of the crud still lingering?" said Ahiru.

"Yeah, something like that," said Elly, "which actually helps a bit, because I will sleep so soundly that you will not wake me. I'll probably be up and out before you anyway, because my sleep patterns are off a bit, and it's just how it goes."

Nana then just smiled and said, "Don't worry, Cheri, we shall take good care of you! You are such a great person!"

Elly smiled at her, and then announced, "You know, I think I love this kid already!

While the day's events were going on, things were happening in Fawcett City. In the main precinct, an interesting man entered in. He stood about five foot nine, and approximately 220 pounds. He had on calf length moccasin boots, faded blue jeans, a white tee shirt, light tan leather jacket with leather fringes around it, black hair past his shoulders, done in much the same way as Fakir's, reddish tan skin, leather band around his head, and a United States Army blue cavalry hat on his head, with the mark of Sergeant First Class on the front, and an eagle's feather stuck in the back. One of the cops glibly said, "Hey Tonto, the Lone Ranger ain't here! Try Texas!"

As a couple of people laughed, he just coldly looked at them, and said, "Sorry, gentlemen…and I use that term loosely…Tonto was an Apache. I'm from the Alleghany tribe. Be glad I am not an Apache—he might have slit your throat for that remark!"

Now the cop was became huffy at this, and got a bit in his face, saying, "Are you threatening me?"

As he said this, he was poking a finger on his chest, to which the Native American just stared at him blankly, saying, "No, that was not a threat, but what you are doing by the law is an assault, which means that—badge or no badge—I can defend myself using minimal force, like this…"

He then reached up, grabbed the officer's thumb on the hand that was poking him between his own thumb and forefinger, and bent. The officer grunted in pain as he dropped to his knees. His buddies were about to act when a voice said, "Okay, knock it off, Jerry, because he's right. There is no call for you to have done that! You should be grateful I don't put you on report."

The Native American stopped and released his grip when he saw the police sergeant approach. He passed by the officer who was now standing up, moaning about his thumb, and greeted the sergeant. He said, "Your man does good work. He was able to take those men well enough. It's a good thing that the guy pulled a knife on him, or else he might have faced charges for excessive force."

"Don't worry," said the Native American, "He well knows the bounds, and I remind him to the point of annoyance! I don't want to lose my job."

"Well, come on back," said the sergeant, "We'll take care of business."

He stepped through the small waist high swinging door that separated the front from the paper pushers who were so engrossed in what they were doing that they paid no mind to the stranger. "Any thing new today?" asked the native.

"Not yet," said the sergeant, "Things have been quiet since you and the Secret Six made the collar on those guys. Let me tell you what: they won't be seeing the light of day for a bit! Hopefully the six aren't hurting business for you."

"Ah, it's not that bad," the native responded, "There is always something to do, even if he has to do a bit of skip tracing, (the tracking and apprehension of a bail jumper.)"

"Oh, and who do I make this check out to?" asked the sergeant.

"Well, since the bank won't take 'the Magpie,' you can just make it out to Johnny White Wolf," answered the native.

"Is that you?" asked the sergeant.

"If you are implying about if Magpie will get the check," stated Johnny, "Don't worry, he'll get it. I don't bite the hand that feeds me."

"Just what do you do?" asked the sergeant.

"I take care of the business end, and get jobs for him," said Johnny, "And don't worry about me, he has trained me so well to take care of myself, you just might think that the both of us are the same person!"

Meanwhile, back at Savanna's office, Dr. Savannah came in and hung up his hat and jacket. Indeed, he was still fit for his age, but he was still feeling it after all that walking around. He sat behind his desk and buzzed for his secretary to bring him some fresh water and an apple. He then laid out the data he had gathered and began to pour over it. Indeed, the oil field had enough in there to last for 30 years, and it did run under the town and the school. This would make things interesting in trying to access it. Dr. Savannah was sure that Luthor had enough politicians in his hip pocket to get the deal done, but he wasn't sure how certain others in the area would take to this. His secretary then entered with his request and just as quietly exited as the doctor picked up the phone. He called the private number, knowing that only he would be the one on that line, so he was assured a quick answer. "Luthor here," said the voice on the other end.

"I have the data," said the doctor, "and I think you shall like what you hear."

"Splendid!" said Luthor, but the doctor then said, "I would tell you now, the field does indeed run under the town and the school."

"Don't worry," said Luthor, "I have the headmaster eating out of my hand. All I need to do is get a hold of the Pas De Brats manager and find out who is bankrolling their theater, and work from there. It will all be in place. It may take some time, but we are the only ones that know about the oil, so we have time on our side. We have all the time in the world."

5


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The next morning, Luthor went over what he had. He had a choice of who to contact first. Granted, the Pas De Six had not even opened their theater yet, but it was on the oil field, and he figured that it would be better, and easier, to buy them off first. By the money the oil would give him, he knew that the money it would take to buy them out and buy them a new theater would be a drop in the pan. That would probably the only thing that would have to go with out coercion. After all, he was dealing with naïve teenagers, and he was sure that he could make them an offer that looked far better than holding court in a cave. However, if they refused, he always knew that he could make them an offer that he could not refuse. He may even be able to offer some shares in the oil to sweeten the pot before he strong-armed them. He looked over the members, and figured the best one to start with would be the married couple. After all, they had their future to build, and if he could make it promising, they may just jump on it. At that time, he knew they were probably working at the Fawcett City Ballet Company, and he tried there first.

The city ballet itself was a very fine facility, designed to be a professional company, as well as an instructional facility. Normally, what they had in students were children, those who did it for the joy and athleticism, and adults who always wanted to, but just never had the chance as kids. As the newest members, it fell on Fakir and the Schmidts to do the instructing as a part of their apprenticeship with them. That morning would be interesting, as many members of the Fawcett City Thunderbolts, (the city's pro football team,) came in for classes. Though the main office was in the front, and it was quite elaborate, that was more meant for theater business and for the shows. In the back was the area for what they were doing. There was a small office in a booth in front, various pictures and trophies for the school in various cases, displays for dance clothes, a bulletin board for announcements, and then several rooms for the troop to practice, for the school to have classes, and the largest was for choreographing the shows, as well as holding special lessons for what was coming in the door. Even though they were in there frequently, they still got amused looks from the two secretaries in the front as the line of giants sauntered by in sweats and dance tights. However, considering who was wearing the attire, only the foolhardy would have said something. Moreover, the foolhardy would have only said something once! This was the first time that the three had the instruction of them, and the others briefed them on their skill level. They were all actually intermediates, and they would probably take part in the school recitals after the season was done. That meant that they would be preparing for a group dance, possibly joined by members of the company to provide opportunities for some pas de deux amongst the more skilled of the players. Thus, the first thing was to work out a routine for them to perform as a group, and then pull aside certain ones for some solo and group work. The three were then told that the best ten were to be used as supernumeraries and ensemble work for a couple of shows, so they were to keep an eye out for them. As they entered, the boys did what they could to stifle some laughter, while Rue just watched with a keen eye. She could also see that there were a few that were nervous, as they were beginners, and she figured that she could give them to the boys to help them while she worked with the more experienced ones herself. To take the edge off things, she said, "Welcome to a new season gentlemen…" she stopped, got a glint in her eye, and said, "Well, well, well, look at this—a smorgasbord!"

Mytho flicked a knowing eye and a smile to her, as she whispered to him teasingly, "Jealous!"

Fakir took more of a businesslike stance and in typical efficient German fashion, came before them, clicked his heels with a slight bow, and said, "Geuten Morgen gentlemen—my name is Fakir Schmidt, and I am one of your instructors. The first thing I need to know is who my beginners are?"

About five hands went up, and they were all new players to the team. "Excellent!" said Fakir, "Now, if you five would come with me and my brother, we shall get you up to speed."

As he took them away, Rue stepped up and said, "Okay, fellas, you all know why you are here! Take your positions on the bar, and we shall begin with the developee to get you back into the rhythm of things after your off season"

They did as they were instructed, but many eyes lingered on her as they did so. Taking the hint, Rue then said, "Well, that is good! That means you shall all be able to pay attention to me, and do as I say, right?"

Those that had stared turned a bit red, and then went to their spots. The piano player then began a good ¾ time cadence and Rue said, "Okay, one hand on the bar, the other in the third position, point outer leg forward, to the side, and to the first position. And one, two, three, keep it steady, one, two, three, watch your line, one, two three, watch yourselves, not me, and…"

Although there was a bit of that, she did appreciate the professionalism of the players, in that, because of their mindset to listen to orders from a coach, they were quick to obey, not to back talk, and keep to their tasks.

On the other side of the room, Fakir and Mytho had a bit more of a daunting task. Since the coach of the Thunderbolts believed strongly in this kind of training to improve his players, the rookies were not as certain. None of them had ever done ballet, mostly because they all came from towns where, if you took ballet as a boy, your manhood was questioned, and you actually took your own life into your hands. Fakir knew how to handle this crowd, because, though Germany was more apt to be accepting of this, there were still some that had the attitude that only homosexual men got into ballet. Thus, he stepped to the fore, and said, "Gentlemen, you all look like you feel as out of place as a Presbyterian in Hell, to quote Mark Twain."

They began to laugh at this, taking some of the edge off things. Fakir then said, "I believe that some of you feel awkward because of some of the hand and leg positions you see your teammates making, and they do seem somewhat…how shall we say…over exaggerated. However, we must explain to you that it only appears that way because they are going slow. The reason for that is that the moves you shall learn today are designed to make your movements precise, crisp when at speed, and also to keep your balance. It is designed to make ladies look even more graceful than what people first see, and to make them more beautiful. For the men, the movements are supposed to demonstrate strength and power. One day, you may even be able to do this…"

He then went into a series of grand fouettes, followed by some pirouette piques, to which he moved into a standing jump high in the air, legs split. He then landed, and went into a front and back split, left hand fisted and on his hip, the right arm pointed straight up into the air, hand pointed straight up. That brought some applause from the men, and Mytho said, "Yet, before you can to that, you are going to have to go though a series of repetitive moves over and over before you move onto other things. We hope to have you learn the developee before the end of the season, which is what you see your teammates doing right now. If you wish to continue on after the season, then we would love to have you on an individual basis. With that, we are going to start with the five basic positions from which all the steps are done. Once we get that down, we shall move into other areas. First, though, we shall stretch. However, we are probably going to stretch muscles that you are not used to stretching, but that is all part of the benefits that you shall gain over your foes on the football pitch."

With that, they limbered up, using the music for pace. They then began to learn the five basic positions out of the French school, which is by far the most common and popular form. As they did it, some of the men were still feeling awkward, but Fakir knew how to snap the out of it. He barked like a coach on their team, and said, "Keep your body straight! That is called 'your line.' When I say, 'keep your line straight,' I mean, 'keep your upper and lower torso as one unit,' unless you have to bend. Come on now—put your best into this!"

"I still feel silly," said one of them, to which Mytho said, "It is only silly because this is so new to you. Relax, and you will do well."

"Yeah," said another, not angrily or with dismissal, but with frustration over trying to make it happen, "I feel like a woman."

"That is because you are not moving with authority," said Fakir. He asked everyone to stop, and to look at him. "Now, watch me," he said, and started moving through the positions, but with some snap, a serious look on his face, and a movement that was more reminiscent of a bodybuilder. "You men have flexed like bodybuilders before, right?" asked Fakir.

Many pumped their heads up and down. He then said, "Okay, I want you all to think like you are doing a ballet pose down. Move like you are flexing, but in the ballet positions."

The lights began to turn on, and suddenly they began to move with a bit more confidence, and feel more…well…masculine. It even got to the point where they were trying to outdo one another. This was different to the boys, but, hey, whatever worked!

Meanwhile, the phone in the office out back began to ring, to which the secretary dutifully picked up the phone and said, "Fawcett City Ballet—education department: may I help you?"

"Yes," said the friendly and warm voice on the other side, "My name is Lex Luthor."

The secretary recognized the name, and took on a new tone, saying, "It is a pleasure Mr. President."

"Well, that is behind me now," said Luthor, "Mr. Luthor shall do fine."

"Then how may I assist you or direct your call today?"

"I am looking for one of the members of the Pas De Six," said Luthor, "I must tend to some business with them."

Normally, when people called up asking about the Pas De Six, she normally gave the number for Mr. Tawny, because she knew that they would more than likely like to be left in privacy. In reality, they mostly got calls from kids just looking to talk to them for the sake of talking to them. They sought to deflect those prying calls, but this was different. She then said, "Do you have any one of them in mind?"

"Let me speak to the one named Rue Schmidt, if you please," answered Luthor.

"Hold one moment, please," and she went to the studio.

Rue had her notebook in hand, and she was preparing to get them ready for the number she had cooked up for them. She asked them if they wanted to do a sequence as if they were in a football game situation, and one said, "You know, ever since I've been doing that, I don't think they ever asked us to do something like that."

"Why is that?" wondered Rue.

"I guess," ventured another, "it's because some people think that we would not want to think about work when we do this."

Another said, "We'd love it! All we would have to do is wear our socks and pants, and slippers that resembled cleats, and wear a light mock up of our pads to make it look right. We can do the same thing for helmets!"

"Okay then," said Rue, "We'll start talking about scenarios on how you want to depict this, and I have some basic series of moves aimed toward that. We can to this, and then make changed where you think is good. This is your field of work, after all!"

The men loved it, because they were being engaged for the first time, and being asked what _they_ wanted to do, as if they were working out set plays for the game. What had happened was that she had asked Billy what kind of people she would be working with, and she told her how they worked as a team. She then sought to employ those things. Just before she was about to start, the secretary came in and informed her about the call. At that, she called over Mytho and asked her to fill in as she took the call.

"Moshi, moshi," said Rue out of habit, but Luthor, being the international man that he was continued the conversation in Japanese, saying, "Konichiwa, this is Lex Luthor."

"You speak the language well," said Rue, "What can I do for you today?"

"Thank you for the compliment," Luthor first answered, and then said, "I know that you are a busy woman, so I will just cut straight to it. I have a business proposal for you."

"Are you seeking to be one of our sponsors," asked Rue, knowing that this would be more of the area for Mr. Tawny to deal. Luthor answered, "In a sense, yes, but not quite how you think. You see, I know that you are preparing a new theater for your act, but that land on which you build it, well, there is a keen business interest for Lexcorp, and, well, I really need that plot of land. However, I would not want to deprive you of your theater, so, what I propose is this: I shall build you six a very modern theater—either in town or in Fawcett City—and sponsor it all the way through if you sell me the land."

Something did not ring right for Rue at this point, because of the sudden urgency with which this seemed to come. Why, when the theater was so close to being finished, would he now come with this offer? Granted, the announcement of the theater was only two weeks prior, and there were limited pictures of the land, so to see it now was not odd. However, what was so special about that land that he had to have it? She asked, "I am curious, though. What is it about the land that would benefit you?"

"Let us say that it would be a benefit to society and the consumer if we had that plot of land," answered Luthor, "Considering its benefits, it would be but a small sacrifice. Besides, I am willing to compensate."

Rue wanted to tell this man where to put it, but she figured that she would try to sidestep it, and handle it professionally. She said, "Well, there are certain matters with which I must deal. First, it would take a unanimous vote of the six of us to do this, because each of us signed individually on the contract. Second, even if we did, we have our cosigner and benefactor with which to speak. Could you give me some time?"

"Oh, most certainly," said Luthor, "I know how bureaucracy works, and I have patience and time. Please, speak to your colleagues. Can I reach you here?"

"Most days," Rue answered.

"Then I'll give you a call in a few days," said Luthor, "Please, take your time: this is not a small decision."

"Thank you for calling, Mr. Luthor," Rue responded, and he gave his cordial good-byes as they both hung up. No, something did not sit right. Mytho was the empath, but she wondered if it was rubbing off, because, for the lack of a better term, she did not like the vibes. She would bring this up when all six were together later that afternoon.

Soon, it was lunchtime on campus, and the three of the six who were still in school met with Rachel to see how she was doing. Ahiru then asked, "How was your first day?"

"It wasn't bad," said Rachel, "although it is hard sometimes to relate. I mean, I may look like a teenager, but I have the mind of someone who is about 26 years old! The girls look at me more matronly than as a peer. That's okay, I guess, but one thing that gets to me is all the fans you six have gained here. I mean, I would figure that, at an art school, you guys would be left alone, because fame is something everyone seeks. Yet, there are a few that need to calm down. Some of them are the fangirls of the boys in the group."

"Marks!" said Billy, which got some odd looks from the rest.

"What do you mean by that," asked Mary.

"In pro wrestling," said Billy, "there are those who are fans who are so into it that they truly believe that what they see is real. I admit, the moves and holds are real, but it is all choreographed. Yet, they get into it too much. However, when you are a wrestler and you are called a mark, it is an insult. They usually are young guys trying to get in, who normally start as talent enhancement, and cannot get over the fact that they may just be working with someone they once idolized. Yet, at that stage, you have to put that aside. These girls are in an art school, but for some reason, they cannot understand that what we did, they could do themselves. They have to get their heads out of the clouds!"

All mumbled in agreement to this, as Rachel then said, "We are being watched."

No one had noticed this, considering the fact that it was open, but there were many people. However, Rachel had some of that sixth sense that Mytho seemed to have, and she said, "It's her."

Everyone looked up to see Elly sitting there with her art pencils and sketch pad, looking up every once and a while, and then going back to the pad. Ahiru said, "Oh, that's Elly: she's my new roommate."

Ahiru looked up and said, "Hi, Elly! Why not sit with us?"

"I can't draw the lot of you sitting over there," answered Elly, "I need this angle."

"Art school, I take it," Billy whispered to Ahiru, and Ahiru said, "Is that for fun or for a class?"

"It is part of my first assignment," she answered, "I have to capture a still life even though you are all animated. It's part of learning how to visualize better, and to make it come to life, in a sense. That way, it's not all stiff, as if you were posed. It is the factor of what you show me, what my mind remembers and how I capture it. I'm getting the rough of what I want now, and I hope to refine it later."

"It's funny," said Billy, "I didn't even notice you move up."

"Was that you circling us earlier?" asked Rachel.

Elly looked askance at that statement, considering the abilities she had gained while recovering. She said, "Funny, you are the first person to notice me when I don't want to be noticed."

For some reason, Mary felt the awkwardness of her statement, and decided to take an edge off it by asking, "Why were you circling around?"

"Well, nothing really," answered Elly, "I just wanted to get a better angle on you—you know, see what would look best."

The conversation went on generally, but both Rachel and Billy filed this away. She indeed did move around without being seen, and Rachel knew how close she had indeed come while doing so. Rachel then decided to probe her mind a bit while she was distracted, just to see what was floating around. Rachel then pursed her lips as if she were pondering something, and nodding her head up and down as she did. She leaned towards Billy and said, "Can we talk right after classes today?"

"Meet us in the practice room with the rest," said Billy, "Does it deal with hero things?"

"It's possible," said Rachel.

Before Mr. Katt arrived, Rachel said, "I had a chance to look at the surface thoughts of that artist girl we met earlier, and I think there are some interesting things about her. I gathered she had been sick for a time—is that correct?"

Ahiru acknowledged this, and Rachel said, "Well, something has happened to that girl."

"I don't understand," Billy said, "Is it something bad?"

"Not necessarily," answered Rachel, "but what I saw was interesting. It seems that something happened in her head while her body was trying to heal up. I didn't have time to be thorough, but there is a sense about her mind that certain areas have activity where there should not be. Some of it is active, and some of it is inactive. It may have something to do with how she was able to move about unseen, save for those like me who can detect her despite her seeming gifts."

"Should we be concerned about this?" asked Mytho, "I mean, what would be the problem?"

"It may be nothing," said Rachel, "I just thought it interesting. I mean, if she began to have problems, you at least have a feel for things so you may help her. It's just something to keep in mind."

"Speaking of keeping things in mind," said Rue, "I got a call today from one Mr. Lex Luthor."

Both Billy and Rachel's face became concerned. Mytho detected the shift in their emotions, and he asked, "Is this man trouble?"

"It depends on how you define it;" responded Billy, "Let me put it like this: we have never been able to pinpoint him on anything, but whenever there seems to be corporate troubles, normally Lexcorp is in the thick of it. His lawyers are always good about deflecting things away from him, but we believe him to be one of those 'above the law' criminals. We have never been able to get him, but know that whatever he does normally has an ulterior motive attached to it."

"Thank you for telling me that," responded Rue, "because he called me with an offer to buy the theater and the land around it."

Billy then said, "I guarantee you, there must be something out of it that he can use to tighten his power in the corporate world if he is asking for this. What did you tell him?"

"I simply told him that I would have to consult with you and our cosigner," answered Rue.

"Good," said Billy, as he pulled out his team communicator, "That will give me a chance to call him up and tell him what is going on."

He flipped open the communicator and called him up. "Batman, here," said the voice on the other end, "Who is this?"

"It's Billy," he answered, "Have I got an earful for you!"

6


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

A stern voice was now heard over the communicator. "He wants to do what?" thundered Bruce Wayne.

"Here, let me give you to Rue," he said, and handed her the communicator. She explained the whole thing, including how she sidestepped the issue. There was certainly more at stake than a cave theater. Their new headquarters also lie within its bowels, and there was no way that the six were going to surrender that. Bruce further added, "With Luthor involved there has to be an ulterior motive. There is more than just that plot of land involved. Tell me, has he been snooping around the area lately?"

"He was here at the school a few days ago," added Rue, "conferring with the headmaster."

"I'll lay you ten cents to the dollar that he wants the school as well," answered Bruce.

"How is he going to do that?" asked Rue, "The school is essentially owned by the Kinkan family, run by a board of trustees. They are the ones that manage the money and investments that keep the school going. Good luck in trying to buy out that!"

"That all depends," said Bruce, "If he was able pour a ton of money that was as big as or bigger than the trust, and they accepted the 'donation,' then he would have essentially bought the school."

"If they accepted, what would happen then?" inquired Rue.

"He would rebuild the school elsewhere," responded Bruce, "However, things like that are on his expenditure list in such that, if there are losses to the company, he would liquidate the trust, close the school, and pay off his losses. He loves having things like that around. Trust me: he does not have the school's best interest at heart. The only holdout would be you, and that would cause some…other things."

"What do you mean 'other things'?" probed Rue, not liking where it was going.

"Let's put it like this;" answered Bruce, "He has a way of getting what he wants. If the school would not capitulate, as I expect that you would not, then certain 'incidents' have a way of happening to his objectives. If they were to cause damage to your campus, then he would graciously offer to rebuild the losses, and in time, the whole campus would be a Lexcorp construction site, and he thus has his bargaining tool. He then can go back to the board and hold his 'charity' over their heads like the sword of Damocles, they take the donation, and he gets what he wants anyway. However, note that, once he is spurned, he is less that cordial. He would shut down the school without a thought to rebuilding it as an example to all that would resist his will with Lexcorp. Therefore, we have to find out what is so special about that land that he wants both the theater and the school. If you can do this, that would help. In the meantime, let me work some 'magic.' I think I can upset his fruit cart."

She thanked Bruce, and then hung up. She then explained to the others what was going on, and they all agreed that the theater was not for sale. Billy then said, "Leave it to me to find out about the land."

Dr. Savannah now had a team in the area again, except this time they were there to find the shallowest point, or to find a spot where the oil may be coming up, and to get some samples of the crude. Even though the field was large, they still had to find out if the oil had aged enough for use. Believe it or not, even if crude exists in a spot, nature has to have it cook for a time before it was ready. Therefore, he had to take some samples. He was traveling through the Thinking Woods at that time, looking for a good spot, but he was unable to find any that day. However, his actions were not unobserved. Elly had gone into the woods again to work on some more artwork, both for assignments, and for her own love of art, and came across the group working. She distinctly remembered the day before a similar group like that making their way through the forest, and she was now curious as to why. Concentrating, she approached the men as if they were not even standing there. In fact, she was going along as if she was a part of the entourage, and they did not see her. Every once and a while, the group would stop, a man would test the soil, they would take a reading, and then move on. A few of the men had clipboards, and Elly was also interested in them. However, she did not need to lean in, because she already knew what was on the papers. It was not as if she had read them, but somehow she knew—a gift that had come forth during the time she was ill. She filed all this away, hoping to ask her roommates later on if they knew of any reason why people like this would be snooping around in hopes of knowing more properly to inform. With that, she collected her goods, found a spot, finished what she hoped to accomplish, and returned to the dorm to find her roommates.

That year's Fall Festival was going to be a group deal for the music, voice, and dance departments. It was decided that they were going to attempt something new: Fantasia Live. In other words, they were seeking to do a live performance of those things in the Fantasia films, and that would involve some work. Ahiru went to the library to check out both films and brought them to her room. Mary, Mai, and Nana joined Ahiru and Yuma to watch and see if there were any ideas that they could come up with. Normally, the AP class would not have much to do with that show, for their grades would be based on different matters. However, because of the task that this might turn out to be, they were asking the AP class to help, and requested that the Pas De Six be a part of the show as well. The three graduates were more than willing to help, and now the after class team practices would now consist some of preparing for that show. Therefore, they were intent on getting a feel for things early. Just as Stoikowski was about to start the _Toccata and Fugue in D minor_, it was then when Elly returned. She saw the group engrossed with the film, and decided to let them be for the time being. She was not sure how important the information she held was, but she did not figure it was enough to disrupt the movie. Once the first one had ended, they then noted that Elly was back and preparing for bed. Once they greeted her, Elly said, "Oh, I almost forgot. I was out in the woods today, and I saw a bunch of men with equipment snooping around, checking this spot of the ground or that. Once I saw what was on their notes, I realized that the fools were looking for oil, of all things. I didn't figure the hills out here would have anything like that."

Ahiru froze, and she said, "Do you remember specifically what you saw on the papers?"

Elly wondered why that mattered, and Ahiru said, "Do you remember?"

"Oddly enough, I remember as if the papers were still in front of me," Elly answered.

Ahiru looked at her with a serious look and said, "Tomorrow, I need your help. There are a group of people I would like you to meet that would love to know what you know."

Trouble of another kind was brewing inside Fawcett City at that moment. In one of the more upper crust clubs in town, Abigail was taking some time to relax. She was the prima donna for the Fawcett City Ballet, and she was a girl that was doing very well for herself. She was 28 years old, and she had come a long way from her days at Kinkan. She was a good dancer, but she was humble and a hard worker. She was the kind that was always there to help any young dancer advance. Now the fruits of her labor were paying off, and she was taking the time to relax after her hard day's work. She also appreciated how that there were now three other alumni from her school working with her. Some prima would feel threatened by their presence, especially the young girl that came with the group. She was only 18, but highly skilled and pretty. She easily could have competed for her position. However, she was not jealous, and she knew that the new girl already had a deal going. Rue Kuroah was a part of a great act already, so she felt no threat. Besides all that, when the time came where she had to relinquish her position as the prima, she knew that Rue waited in the wings, knowing that an act like that could be gone tomorrow, or it might take 50 years. However it went, one thing was for sure: she could work with her and make Rue her handpicked successor. Yes, life was good, except for the fact that she was still single. Her life had been so busy that time for a husband did not play in yet. However, she was hungry for companionship, and she was there to find Mr. Right, or at least, Mr. Right Now. After about 20 minutes of schmoozing, she took the drink of her choice and sat down in a nice lounge chair, deliberately trying to look pretty in order to attract the right kind of eyes. Within ten minutes, her hook caught. A handsome young man came up and said, "Is this how you normally look, or are you deliberately trying to look sexy for a reason."

That caught her attention. She had heard many pick up lines before, but this one was unique, and actually good. He was handsome, strong, clever, and had a great smile and attitude. He just might do. He took a seat next to her and introduced himself. "My name is Marcus," he said, extending his hand. "Abigail," she responded as she extended hers, and he deftly kissed it. "And he's a gentleman as well," she thought, "This has some potential."

She then said, "Come here a lot?"

"I come here enough to see you here a bit."

She then though, "He also has a great eye. Hope he's not a stalker."

She tested this by saying, "You must see others 'quite a bit.'"

"True, but not many have the poise that you do. You seem like a dancer."

Again she thought, "Okay, he has a REALLY good eye. I wonder how much he knows."

She then said to him, "What gave me away?"

"You are light on your feet, like you walk on a cloud. Every move is precise and deliberate, done with grace and flair. You move like a bird of paradise, and everything about you says 'bon vivant.' You always seem to have a smile, you are warm, outgoing…"

Her heart was racing now. This man had a velvet tongue, and he was very handsome. He was also complementary, and there was something about his eyes. They were not just a pair in which she could get lost; they seemed to drag you in. They were almost hypnotic. She felt giddy, and, she had to face it, the guy was turning her on. He continued, and said, "…and you seem to have…" but she cut him off, and said, "You had me at 'like you walk on a cloud.'"

She extended her arm as she stood, and she said, "Come on, we can talk more about this at my place."

The next morning, at the Fawcett City Ballet, rehearsals for a new show were about to begin, but their prima was not there. She did not even call in. This was very odd for her, because she had never failed to call in if there had been a problem. After a time, some people began to ask around in the studio if anyone knew where she was or what might have happened. Worry began to creep in. Had this been anyone else, they might have written it off, and given her a day. Perhaps that person may have forgotten to call. Yet, this was Abigail. She never missed a rehearsal, and if she were that ill, they would have had to send her home. She never failed to call. It was decided that someone should go over and see what had happened. However, when word got to Fakir, Rue, and Mytho, they were already changing and heading out. Since her apartment was not far from the studio, they could get there quickly. Claire said that she would transport in and that they should catch up. If there was trouble, she could subdue it; tell them about it when they arrived, and then assist in helping her. Claire transported into the apartment and began to look around. Immediately, she knew there had been trouble by the looks of the apartment. It had the signs that a struggle took place, and she began to worry. She remembered her training with the Justice League, and remembered not to touch anything if she assessed that there had been a possible crime. While it is true that she would want to look for clues, in a situation like that, it was best to have the police there as well, lest she botch their aid by destroying clues in the process of her search. Thus, she carefully walked around, stepping over anything that was there, making sure even to not step on a wrinkle in the carpet, lest she ruined something there. She went into the kitchen, and she saw the knife draw open—already she feared the worst. "Abby," she hollered, "It's Rue, (taking a chance to use her real name so she would know that there was someone she knew in the house.)"

She began to follow the path of what seemed like the struggle down the hall. By this point, the Chess Knights arrived, opened the door, (of which they were surprised was unlocked,) and White Knight was about to close it. However, Black Knight said, "No! Leave it. You may have already messed up prints on the outside, so we do not want to disturb those."

Already they felt the trouble that must have come that way, and one did not need to be an empath like Mytho to know that there was a problem. However, the empath in Mytho immediately detected the fear, stress, shock, and immediate sadness from the life pattern he knew the best—Rue. Just as he was sensing this, he heard a scream, "OH GOD, NO—NOT ABBY: PLEASE, NOT ABBY!"

As fast as they could go without disturbing anything, they found Claire on her knees, bawling her eyes out from the ghastly sight that sat before them. As soon as White Knight entered, she practically tackled him and was wailing profusely. The boys saw, and then looked away. Black Knight grimly and stoically pulled out his communicator and called the police. When they answered, he said blankly, "This is the Black Knight. I need to report a murder."

Claire was in a mild state of shock as the police were giving her some coffee, putting a blanket around her, and doing what they could to console her as they sat on the couch. They would have to calm her down to get a statement from her of what she had found and how she found it. In the meantime, the boys were hip deep in the investigation, aiding the police in finding any clues. Yet, Black Knight need not have been worried about finger prints, because they could find none. There was no sign of a forced entry, so a robbery was out. By the knife they found in the bedroom, they knew that she had been killed with what was missing from the kitchen. Therefore, the murderer may well have been unarmed. There had to have been some familiarity with the killer somehow, or else he never would have gotten in. Besides, it had to be something more than a lover's spat, because of the way she was killed. The initial work of the medical examiner showed that she had been brutally raped, disemboweled, her face marred with cuts all over, and her feet were cut off. This had the signs of the last thing they wanted to investigate. Sadly, this could not be avoided, because, as the bedroom was being searched, White Knight found a note, done with the letters cut from a magazine. Again, the find yielded no prints, and the note read, "All dancers are naughty and dirty. They need to be punished. I will kill all the naughty girls and queer boys."

This was followed by the word "dance" inside a circle with a diagonal line going through it. "Oh great!" sputtered the detective on the site, "There has only been one of these, and I fear there is going to be more."

White Knight did not need to ask. "It is a serial killer, isn't it?" asked White Knight knowingly.

"It has all the markings," said the detective, "Worse, because of the lack of workable clues we may have to wait for him to strike again before we can act. What disgusts me is the fact that we may have to wait until _after_ he acts, which means someone else may have to die."

"I certainly hope not," said White Knight.

"With no witnesses, no clues save this note, we have nothing to go on," said the detective.

Black Knight had been overhearing the conversation, and he said, "I may have an idea."

"I'm all ears," said the detective, knowing that it may be better than anything else they had.

"I know of an upper class club where she liked to go," said Black Knight, "I have friends who are dancers. Maybe someone saw something last night?"

"That's the first break we've had!" said the detective, "We'll stake out the place tonight, and ask around for witnesses."

"Once we calm down Princess Clair, we can come in disguise tonight and help," said Black Knight, "Perhaps Claire could flush him out."

"It's all we have, so I can look for you tonight?" asked the detective.

"We'll be there," he responded, and plans were made.

Because this was going on, another odd thing happened that was not nearly as severe, but was a concern nonetheless. There had been a robbery in two suburban houses the night before, and the thieves had been thorough. They had cleaned out all the gold, silver, any cash on hand, and in each case, a collector's doll had been stolen as well. Because of their value, the police only thought it made sense that they would go missing. However, the odd thing was the fact that everyone was at home and asleep. There was no forced entry, and it was too efficient, with robberies even taking place in the master bedroom without anyone knowing or hearing anything. It was going to be one interesting fall in the city.

5


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Otto Drosselmyer sat contentedly as he saw what his creations had brought him. The police would be baffled for quite some time. Once he had those stowed away, he went over to his masterpiece that, despite some setbacks, was near completion. At first, he had hoped he could achieve mechanically what he wanted without modern electronics involved. However, this was not going to happen. He therefore had to mix old with new. The first thing he had to install was a generator that would move when she moved. It would attach to a long lasting battery designed not to get to a point where it would fail to hold a charge little by little. Whenever she was in full motion, the generator would run and hold back the use of the battery. When she was idle, she would then run off her battery, only using as much power as was needed at that moment. It would be such that she should never run out of what she needed to keep functioning. Otto also added a high power central processing unit, cooled by the fan attached to the generator, which would use the battery when needed, and spots for random access memory—enough to mimic active human thought. In addition to this was added a hard drive containing one terabyte in memory. He was able to go through connections with friends he worked with in the past, who now worked in laboratories perfecting computer gadgetry that would be usable now, but the general public would not see for years. Because of that, though it held on terabyte of memory, it was small enough to fit inside all the gears and parts. In that hard drive he installed a program that was designed to teach children growth, memory skills, and self esteem. In that programming was an understanding for human emotions. He wanted Uzzura to be as human as possible. The "brain" was still the mechanical system of metal threads and pinions needed to input data, but that would now work in conjunction with the central processing unit. He coated her body with a synthetic material that could mimic the sensitivity of human touch, and had sensors in her nose that imitated olfactory. In her ears were simple microphones, but the very sensitive kind, not too dissimilar from what singer use when they want to be hands free when performing. Her eyes were two digital cameras, giving her full stereoscopic vision, but vision on par with that of Captain Marvel himself. He also added a voice synthesizer, and allowed it to be so that her mouth would move with the words. For a voice, he decided on one of the vocaloid programs that had become quite popular with anime minded youth with a knack for music. He decided Hatsune Miku would be the best choice. She therefore would have that high pitched, childlike voice, and she would be able to sing as well. To aid in her learning, he also included a program that had the entire Oxford English Dictionary in it, but would only allow the word to be used when it was uttered and defined for Uzzura. Once she learned the meaning, the other programs would teach her how to act on such knowledge. It would be like having a child who was learning how to speak for a time, but it would not take her nearly as long to learn. Once he activated her, she would be like a newborn child. However, she would grow quickly, as her mechanical brain and the CPU would be able to process data quickly, and aid her in becoming sentient and aware as fast as possible. He also wanted her to learn like anyone else, in that, he did not stuff her drive with all kinds of knowledge right off the bat. That way, she could be manipulated better and do his bidding without question. He was just awaiting the right day to hit the switch.

Considering who had been so horribly murdered, the company decided to shut down for a few days to give everyone who knew Abby time to mourn, and to attend the funeral when it was time. It was also decided that, when they were back in full swing again, the first thing to be done that year would be a show in her honor. For now, people needed time to mourn and to think. No one was more shaken outside of Abby's family than Rue, for it was her that had discovered the ghastly truth. For most of that Thursday, she lay in the bed, silent but staring into nothing. Mytho's empathy was going off the scale with the cacophony of emotions running through the mind of his dear wife at that moment. However, he was not going to disturb her unless there were certain negative emotions that kept cropping up of which he would tend to immediately. By noon, Fakir had arrived, very concerned about his colleague and good friend. "Where is she?" asked Fakir.

"She is in our room, in the bed," answered Mytho, "She did not sleep well last night, which also meant that I did not sleep much myself. She cried most of the night. I cannot say that I blame her, considering that I would have found it hard to sleep myself. We both finally slept when sheer exhaustion overtook us, but it was not much. She has not said much, and frankly, I am not going to try to get her to do so until she is ready."

"At this point," Fakir mused, "having Duck around would be helpful."

"It won't be much longer, and we shall be together again," said Mytho, "The theater is almost done, and we shall be spending more time together. Besides, this is a good respite after that tour."

"What about tonight," reminded Fakir, "You do remember what the detective said?"

"Yes, that's true," said Mytho, "we'll just have to tell him it can wait."

"Have you told the others yet?"

"I was just about to call them. They should be at lunch. It's funny how much you remember the school schedule, even when you've finished."

"Then there may be a way?"

Fakir opened up the team communicator, called Ahiru, and then asked her to patch the whole team through on a conference call. Mary, Billy, and Ahiru all went to a discreet location to discuss the matter. "So, we're going to snoop around a bit?" asked Billy, "As ourselves, or as our alter egos?"

"Both, in a sense," said Fakir.

"What are you planning?" asked Mary.

"Let us be our alter egos, but put on civilian clothes," said Fakir, "Everyone will look old enough to go the place I have in mind. Furthermore, there will be no risk in recognition, because no one there knows us anyway. Maybe we can flush out the perp."

Ahiru was not so sure about things, but Fakir then said, "You'll be Tutu. You know how to take care of yourself. In that form, you shall have all the courage in the world."

As the last of the plans were being set, the boys both heard Rue behind them, saying, "Who are you talking to?"

Rue was standing there in her bathrobe, looking much disheveled, with dark circles under her eyes. She was only 18, but at that moment, she looked like she was 40 years old. Fakir had nothing but sympathy for her, and Mytho felt her pain so much he almost came to tears. He figured that talking business might help, so he addressed her. "Ah, _libeling_!" exclaimed Mytho, "You are up! We were just talking to the team, preparing to find our killer."

"You're not going to leave me here alone, are you?" she asked. The look on her face was not one of anger, but of sadness mixed with terror. With a killer loose that preyed on dancers, she did not feel safe. This was odd, considering that Claire could have broken the fool into pieces. However, in her state of mind, there would be no telling what she would do. Besides all that, she did not want to be alone. She then added, "Besides, you are going to put Duck into a situation like that, are you?"

"It will be Tutu," said Fakir, "She shall be in no danger. She can take care of herself."

"Oh, no," she said, "She is like my kid sister. There is no way she is going in there without me!"

At this point, there was no way of saying "no" to her and have her listen. Mytho then said that they should be ready to go at sunset, and then he said he would then relate this to the rest of the team. He called Billy, and Billy expressed concern about being out past curfew. Fakir then said, "How have you done it in the past?"

There was silence that seemed to say, "D'oh!" but Billy just said, "Good point—we should be able to get back in."

"Then get your assignments done early," said Mytho, "because it could be a late night."

They arrived at the club by 8 PM, that evening. They had all transformed at Mytho's place before they went out, and Rue/Claire put on her finest, slinkiest dress that she owned, with just the right make-up. Despite her business like manner, Mytho could not help but notice that she was still shaken. "Are you up to this?" asked Mytho.

Claire wanted to get angry, but she sighed, knowing that this was her husband, and he had a right to be concerned. She could not lie to him; she knew that would do no good anyway. She then said, "Okay, I am still in shock over what I saw. I am angry, sad, nervous, and terrified all at the same time."

"Then, are you truly up to this?" asked Mytho, adding the word "truly" to the mix.

Claire thought for a moment or two, and then she said, "Whether or not I am up to this is not the issue. Abby and I were growing close. She was a great girl and she did not deserve what happened to her. If anything, this is for her."

Rather than press the issue, he left her to her feelings. He knew that Tutu could subdue her if she got out of hand, but that would not be easy for Tutu to make physical contact with her. The fight between them could be spectacular, but he knew that either of the Marvels could handle her. Meanwhile, Captain Marvel and Mary removed their uniforms, Cap dawned a nice Hart, Schaffer, and Marx suit, while Mary opted for a cocktail dress. Tutu found a nice white satin dress that did not reveal too much, but just enough to turn heads. She simply tied back her long hair, knowing that the length and color would be enough to gain anyone's attention. She therefore forsook the make-up, because her beauty was such that she did not need it. The Chess Knights went as themselves, because they really had nothing to disguise. They only hated the fact that there was no way to take with them, much less conceal, their utility belts. That would be hard. They lined up and prepared to find a killer.

They were not the only ones on the lookout. Earlier that day, Johnny White Wolf was sitting outside at a café, enjoying the early fall morning, sipping on a fine cup of coffee. He picked up that day's paper as he had come to the place, and this was the first chance he had to look at it. The calls from the sales people said it all, and the headlines blared about the killer on the loose. Now that he had the chance to read it, his blood began to chill over the details. The press and the police did not want to attempt to use the words "serial killer" as of yet, because, if this was the case, they did not want him to have something over which to gloat. They did not want to give the killer any reason to celebrate over his deed, or even to feel famous. Johnny, on the other hand, knew better. This had all the markings of a serial killer, even though he had only pulled off one crime. It was sad that that there was no description, no prints, and no witnesses as of yet who could have seen the two together at any point. It was obvious that he had picked her up, because there was no forced entry. They had to have been together before it happened. This begged the question: where did they meet? The paper was sketchy about it, but it was obvious to Johnny as to why. If they said, then there was the possibility of people being too afraid to talk, or people who would be in fear, and not show up, thereby losing a chance to find witnesses. It would also kill business in this place. He folded up the paper, set it down, thought for a moment as he picked up his coffee and sipped, and put his feet up. The detective in him was rearing up, chomping at the bits to get into the case. On the other hand, although this man was obviously scum, busting his kind was how he made his living, and there was nothing as far as a reward put out yet. Since they have no description, it would be foolish to do so anyway. He would have to wait and see what turned up. If there was anything to go off, and considering how low this person had to have been to do what he—or maybe even she—did, he might have taken this thing _pro bono_. However, he needed far more than that with which he was being provided. It sickened him that he would have to wait for another killing before he could act, but that just may bring the bounty he sought. Besides, the Secret Six were known to frequent Fawcett City, as he had already seen, and then there was Black Adam as well. He hoped that they either could do something about it, or he hoped that they could at least flush out the quail for him.

At the club, the six arrived, all looking like a bunch of friends out for a night on the town. The man at the door had a guess about the age of the rather muscular looking one leading the way, but he indeed questioned the rest. Yet, he did not recognize any of them, and was now keenly curious. "You look old enough to come in here," said the doorman, "but I would have to ask for I.D. from the others."

Fakir was worried about this, but he need not have worried. Cap pulled out a wallet, and said, "Official Justice League business for all of us," showing off the badge with his picture that had him in his normal Captain Marvel uniform. The doorman, knowing of Captain Marvel, being from Fawcett himself, was quick to apologize, but he did add, "However, if it's all the same…I mean, I do have a job to do, and if they have I.D…" hinting that he needed to see them as well. At this, Cap said, "Credentials, gang."

At this, they all flipped out their JLA badges, marking them as auxiliary members, and they were allowed to pass. Once inside, Fakir said, "Okay, fan out, and pay sharp attention. See if you can catch any conversation about what happened last night, and see if they talk about having been in the club when Abby was here. That is when you either listen in, or jump in when it is feasible. However, ladies, if you are approached, and you are propositioned, go ahead and leave with him. Mytho, make sure to tail your wife, and Billy, make sure to tail Tutu. I'll tail Mary."

Mary got a knowing look on her face, and said, "As if I needed that kind of help!"

With that, they began to fan out. Because the boys were as the Chess Knights the night before, the detective did not recognize them. However, they recognized Claire, despite the lack of a mask, and the Marvels. He approached them, and said, "Have you found anything yet?"

"We just arrived ourselves," said Claire, "and we are indeed on the hunt. Give us time, and I hope that we can get you some information."

With that, they spread out. It was clear that this was a place frequented by her colleagues, and she was now worried that they may indeed recognize her. On the other hand, if they did, she could write it off, and act like Rue, saying that she had heard the talk about the club, and she wanted to try it for herself.

As they moved about, they kept their ears open on the conversation, and from what they gathered, Abby had indeed been in there the night before. She had only been in the club for about 40 minutes before she was approached and propositioned. She did indeed leave with someone. However, (and much to their frustration,) no one could give a clear description of the person, because no one would have thought that anything was amiss enough to remember those kinds of details. All they knew was that he was a man in his late twenties, but that was it. There was varying descriptions of height weight, skin tone, hair color, or anything else that could have been of use. Yet, they knew it was a male in his late twenties, and that was a start. At that point, the ladies were told to put on the charm in the way that a ballerina could, thinking that, if he was after dancers exclusively, it would have to show clearly in order to be approached. Still, there were plenty of men in there in their late twenties, so it could have been anyone. Claire, on the other hand, knew most of the male dancers in the city, so it was easier for her to start to narrow down candidates. In time, she had eliminated all but a handful. It was then that someone finally recognized her, and she said, "Rue, I'm so glad to see you out and about! I don't know if I could have had that kind of strength."

"Well, I heard about this place," answered Claire, "and I figured that it could help me to clear my head a bit."

"I see your hubby is here," noted the woman.

"Oh, of course," responded Claire, "With weirdoes running around, I could not have left the house alone."

"I feel you, girl!" assured the woman, and then she noted, "Oh, have you met the guest dancer that has come into town?"

"Can't say that I have," answered Clair.

"Oh, he's really good," the woman then said, "He's also quite handsome…more's the pity!"

"What do you mean?" asked Claire.

"Well, let's just say that he is a man in comfortable shoes," the woman whispered.

"We all wear comfortable shoes," said Claire knowingly, "it comes with the trade."

The woman rolled her eyes, and said, "I mean, he is very light in them," hoping the hint was caught. This time, Claire caught it, and said, "Oh, I see," pumping her head up and down. It was odd, but he was a fellow dancer, a professional, and she really didn't care. Those things were not her cup of tea, but no matter what she thought, she was the kind to live and let live. Besides, that was none of her business anyway. Plus, she knew she was going to be working with him, so she said, "So, where is Twinkle Toes anyway?"

"Well he's…" and she stopped, looking around, and then she said, "Strange…he was by the bar a minute ago. I don't see him around."

The two started to ask around, and a few people said they saw him leaving with another man. He was indeed a man in his late twenties, and they all agreed he had shoulder length brown hair, he was Caucasian, but they were not able to make out a face, due to the low lighting around. Claire asked how much taller or shorter he may have been, and they said he looked about six inches taller. This was what she wanted, because, if they knew the guest dancer's height, they had something with which to work. They then said that it was not but seconds ago, so if they hurried, they might catch them. Mytho, on the other hand, was already on top of things, and his empathy detected something anxious in someone's emotional stream. Unfortunately, he swung around to find this person had already been on the move. The emotions were anxious, the person's heart was racing, there was a sense of lust involved—an urgency to be fulfilled in that aspect—yet a sense of shame over the deal. With that mix, Mytho knew that the killer had to be near. Before he could act, mind you, the person was already on the move. He still sensed it, though, and started to head in the direction of the emotions. The others were able to catch Mytho on the move, so they started to follow up. Unfortunately, when they went outside, it was too late. The streets were crowded that night, and the two managed to slip into the crowd. They then went back inside, and Claire went to find the detective with the information while the others went to find out where this guest dancer was staying once Claire told a bit about him. Once they were able to gather this information, (which took a bit of time,) they told the detective, who then called for some cars to be sent to that location. They did not have a hotel room, but at least they would be near, and they could find out quickly where the two had gone. Yet, the rest of the team were going to move swifter than this, as they went outside, and Mary and Cap picked up everyone to fly them to the hotel, while Claire took a moment to go to an alley and transport there herself.

Claire was already trying to get the information from the front desk as to the whereabouts of the man they sought, but he was being stubborn about this, considering that he did not know her from Adam. The others arrived not soon after, and Cap saw the problem. He then said to Mary, "Use your super speed to fetch your proper uniform and come right back."

As swift as lightning, the two of them made the switch and came back. Once they entered, the desk clerk was now all agog, but Cap had no time for that. "We need to know where Sal Roma is located. This could be a matter of life or death!"

Once he heard that from Cap, he was all eager to help. However, some time had passed, and there was concern as to whether or not they were too late. "He's on the fifteenth floor, corner suite on the south side," said the clerk, and Cap then said, "Claire, stay here. If it got that far, I don't want you to see it again."

She wanted to protest, but she let it go, and Cap went up himself. As all this was going on, a young man came up to Tutu and said, "Excuse me, do you know where the nearest subway is? I'm new here."

"Oh, it's to your left, three blocks from the drugstore," she was happy to state. However, she noticed a touch of blood on his neck, and she said, "What's that?"

His eyes shifted around a bit, and he said, "Oh, I cut myself shaving," and he took out a handkerchief and started to press it on the spot. Paying it no mind, she let it go. Yet, Mytho was ever the emotional barometer, and sensed the shift of emotions coming from Tutu's direction. They were emotions of satisfaction at first, but then of high nerves and a fast heartbeat. When he swung around, the emotions were already out the door. He followed Cap out the door, but the man was lost in the crowd again. Because of the amount of people there, he was lost in the emotional wash. As Cap ascended, he went back in and found Tutu. He asked, "What did he ask you?"

"Only where the subway was," responded Tutu. Mytho wanted to go after the man, and Fakir began to notice what was happening when Mytho told him. "We have to catch him!" said Fakir, but Mary said, "You'd be too slow—let me try."

After getting a quick description from Tutu, she was gone like the wind. She flew to the tube where he was heading, flew down, began to scan around, and found a man with the hair Tutu described, but just as he stepped onto the tram and it pulled away. She wanted to go after it, but she realized that just stopping the tram in the tunnel might cause a snarl, or worse, a wreck from a train behind who did not know it was stopped. She would have to find the station master, but that also would take time. She then looked at that line and saw where it was going next. Without hesitation, she surfaced and headed for that tube. She flew down, but that tram had just pulled away, and she now realized that, by the time she found out where the next stop was, the tram may have been two stations down, and that man could have gotten off at any point. She had to accept that she lost him. Whoever this was, he was very good at hiding and evading. He could not evade Mytho's sixth sense, but even then, he was crafty. Sadly, things were going to get worse.

Cap had immediately gone up to where he had been told, and it was the window to the bedroom. The light was on, and all he saw coming from the other side of the bed, from which all the sheets had been tossed, was the back of a head, two arms sprawled out, and blood. He turned away, and slowly descended. When he landed, the police were already preparing to go up, but Cap said, "It's too late. Detective, you had better send for the medical examiner, because we have another murder."

Whoever this person was, he was fast. Still, by the time they were able to get their information to act, and then were able to find out where Sal was staying, anything could have happened. Instead of going up, the six stayed in the lobby. They would know soon enough what was found. Claire, instead of being shocked, was now angry. She had the chance to catch him, and she had failed. She never wanted to pound on someone more than she did at that moment. In the meantime, a very sad and humbled Tutu was working with a forensic artist trying to get a sketch of what she had seen. Mytho assured her that she could not have known, and it was not her fault. Meanwhile, the police had indeed found that what had happened to Abby had happened to Sal. They found a double edged razor blade which had been used to do the deed, so again; no murder weapon had been brought in. The only difference was that the feet were intact this time. The only guess was that he did not have what he needed to take them, but everything else was the same. There was no note this time, and they only assumed that, like most serial killers, he would eventually write to the police to brag. They had to wait. They were also able to discern that the killer had gone into the bathroom and hastily rinsed himself in the shower before going. This fit Tutu's description, because the man's hair was indeed wet. This is why she believed what he had said about cutting himself. They found the towel with which he also hastily dried himself with, and in had blood on it, but it was only Sal's, so that was a dead end as well. They could only assume by what they found, they did their "thing" he killed Sal, rushed to the bathroom, cleaned up as fast as he could, and toweled off what he could not rinse, tossed down the towel, put on his clothes, and left. Again, there were no prints. When they came down, they asked Tutu if there was anything about his hands that she might have noted. She concentrated, and it was then she recalled that he had peels of skin hanging off the print of this thumb. That cinched it—he was flaying them off. Not only was this the killer, but it seemed that he had been planning this for some time to take precautions like this. Once done, Cap called everyone aside, and said, "Guys, don't kick yourselves. Remember how things went in New York this spring. I know we were able to crack the big case we were on fairly swiftly, but remember this; most of the work had already been started, and it would have taken some time to gather that. Things like this are not always quickly resolved, and it goes with the territory of being a superhero. We may be powerful, but we are not gods. All we can do is the best we can, as fast, but as carefully as we can, and put this to rest. Like Bruce said, 'Welcome to the Big Leagues.'"

With a sigh of resign, knowing that this was going to take awhile to solve, he just said, "Let's go home—there's nothing more we can do."

They went home feeling sad and helpless, sick to their stomachs wondering how many more would have to die before they were able to stop him.

7


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Early the next morning, as it hit the papers, a letter did indeed come to the local precinct with no return address, (of course,) and the writing was very blocky and indistinct. It said the following:

"This world is dirty. Dancers are all dirty. They gyrate and pivot, make suggestive moves. It's all about sex. You can't tell me no. Yes it is. They make me hot. They make me think dirty thoughts. Dirty thoughts are wrong. I don't want to be dirty. Yes, I will kill them all. I will kill them all: all their lust, and flaunting; their tight clothes and parts show. They all must die. I did the first girl. She made me feel real dirty, and I had to not be dirty. I did what I did to not feel dirty, and then I made sure she never made anyone dirty again. He made me feel dirtier last night, and I did not want to feel it anymore. I got rid of the dirty, and made sure he never made dirty again. I wanted feet, but I could not take them. I want a nice collection. I want all feet that cannot make dirty! All dancers are my targets. All shall pay…pay for making dirty."

This was followed up by the word "dance" again in a circle with a diagonal line through it. Though it was only two ballet dancers, they figured that any purveyor of any kind of dance was now in danger. One officer attempted to lighten up the somber mood by saying, "That guy gives a new meaning to 'Saturday Night Fever.'"

As a result, the man became known as the "Saturday Night Killer." Along with the report, and some advice from the police for the dancers, (never go alone, avoid solicitations from the man in the sketch included with the article, set a personal curfew to not be out when he might be, avoid anyone that looked like that man asking anything about the dance,) the police already set a $25,000 bounty on the killer's head. This immediately caught the attention of one Johnny White Wolf. "Well, it looks like it's time to go to work," he thought to himself.

Johnny White Wolf was a native of the area, both figuratively and literally. He was an Alleghany Native American, about the age of 35. He may have been close to middle age, but the years had been kind to him, and he kept in phenomenal shape. He did not waste his body with smoke, drink, or carousing. Besides, in his line of work, he had no time for that. He may have gone into saloons and houses of ill repute for the sake of a case, but he never really partook, considering that any inebriation could cause him to miss a clue or a word spoken at the right moment that could mean the difference between his payday and the poorhouse. He had spent ten years in the United States Army as a cavalry scout. He spent some time as cadre training the Green Berets at Fort Benning, Georgia, acting as opposition forces to train against. He therefore knew what they knew; he just did not have to go through the same hype to learn it. He had fought in the first Gulf War, and had taken part in many other covert operations that the scouts might be called upon to participate. He had medals that he could not say how he obtained, or else he would then have to kill whoever heard. That training, combined with what he had learned growing up on the reservation, had taught him how to be observant, quiet, stealthy, and quite the killer. He had thought about joining the police, but he had heard how hard these men work as they put their lives on the line for the people on a daily basis for peanuts. This did not sit well with him, and thus, he decided the money was in bounty hunting. They had a few limitations on them that the police did not have. Yet, there were things that they could do that the police could not get away with legally, and that suited Johnny better. He spent a year with some of the best in the business learning the trade, and now he was making the cash.

He milled around his modest flat pondering. His apartment was well furnished with leather couches and the finest entertainment system to be had. He had sparse carpeting, because he liked the floorboard look that the place came with. All around were keepsakes from his heritage and his time in the Army, including both the U.S. Flag and his tribal flag, both set to be crossing one another. Along with that was a copy of the cavalry guideon of the Second Squadron, First Cavalry Regiment set a little lower, and in the middle. The unit had been the oldest regular army unit left during his time, predating the Civil War. In fact, it was his regiment that fired the first shots at Gettysburg. He cried the day he heard the unit was deactivated and mothballed, but at the same time, he knew that was the way things were in the Army. He went to his bedroom that contained a shag rug comfortable to the feet, another entertainment center, and a four poster king-size brass bed. He found the first article, grabbed that day's paper, went to the rather modern looking desk, turned on his computer, and began to pour over what was known, including the description given by that Princess Tutu. The first thing he had to do was connect to whatever files he did not have to hack into to gain some information, while at the same time getting in contact with other colleagues on the other side of the country, (no need for competition!) He also began to run the sketch against every police file he could gain access to, and every place that would keep any kind of faces on file. He wondered if the Magpie would have to rough a few people up to get some information, but he certainly hoped that this man did indeed run into the Magpie because, if he did, that man would have wished the police had caught up with him first.

The description that was given was a man in his mid to late twenties, collar length brown hair with a slight wave to it, and thin eyebrows. He stood about 6'1", and weighed approximately 175 lbs. He had a normal nose that turned up just so, a small mole on his right cheek, perfectly white and straight teeth, deep blue eyes, lips slightly on the thin side, but not out of the ordinary. He had a square jaw and a cleft to his chin. At this, he started to run some records, but things were not coming up. He then remembered one contact he had met on line, and she had been able to help peg some connections and clues for him. Considering that she did not want her location pegged, (for obvious reasons,) he had to go through rigmarole to get to this contact. Still, because the contact had helped bring success before, he did not hesitate to go through it. After some time, he was able to contact Oracle directly. On her homepage was some artwork depicting a beautiful woman set in position on the Oracle of Delphi, and he went right to her chat room. He was fortunate for two things—she was there, but she was alone. He began to converse with her, "Oracle, the bird has landed once more."

"Heckle or Jeckel?" came back on the screen. They were going through a sort of challenge and password they had set up to let her know he was the real deal. "Heckle," he answered, "I have a big one."

"What are you chasing?" she asked.

"I am chasing a serial killer that just came on the scene."

"What has happened?"

"The police have just started to call him the Saturday Night Killer."

Oracle fed this into her server on her end, and came up with several articles. She then went for the one that was closest to the action—The Fawcett City Gazette. She then typed, "I have an article from the area where it's happening. Please give me a few minutes to get the gist of it."

After about five minutes or so, she came back, saying, "Yes, I would say you have a big one. What can I do for you?"

"I need you to run his face against anything that might contain records containing that face, and maybe corroborate that with anything like what is in the article. If you find anything, please get back to me."

"It shall be done—the nearly all-seeing Oracle is on the watch!"

He thanked her, and jumped out. He did not want to take a chance on anyone even having the remotest chance of tracing anything to her. He loved the fact that she did all this pro bono. He wondered why, knowing that she could make a lot of money for the information. On the other side, Barbra Gordon, (Oracle,) began to ponder as her machines did their thing. She printed up some hard copies, and wheeled herself over to Bruce who had just went through some extremes training with Tim, and said, "We have a big one here, and I need all the help I can get."

"Is Cap on this?" asked Bruce.

"I would assume so," she responded.

"If that is the case," inserted Tim, "then that means that the Kinkan Avatars have to be on it as well."

"I would be surprised if they were not on it!" responded Bruce.

Tim rolled his eyes and said, "If the Swan Sisters catch this guy, they just may help him feel more 'dirty:' like under six feet of it!"

On campus, Johansen called for a special assembly of all the students. When they were all gathered in the auditorium, he took the lectern and said, "I have heard talk and rumors circulating through the school, and especially through the dance department. First, I want to assure you that every measure is being taken to keep you safe. Second, this has been limited to Fawcett City, and there is no indication that it is headed our way at all. However, we must still be careful. He has started on dancers, and by the looks of it, he is not shy about his targets. We do not know if he is going after anything related, or the arts in general, although he has made specific reference to the dance. To be on the safe side, some temporary rules shall be set. No one is to go off campus alone, even if it is in the vicinity of the school. There will be a curfew set at sundown or at the start of study hall, whichever comes first. If you need to be in the library after dark, be sure that you do not go alone. It is advisable that you be on campus, because we shall be closing the gates at the curfew time. It will be announced the precise time each day. Unfortunately, this shall also be enforced on the weekend until this is resolved."

There was a big groan from everyone on campus. The headmaster waved for the crowd to calm down that he might continue. He then said, "I know this is hard, and I know some of you would say, 'but I don't dance.'

I know this is hard, but we cannot make it so that only the dancers suffer, nor can we hang them out to dry. This is why this is going to have to be for everyone. If you are not back in time, you will be expelled from school. I am sorry, but this is to ensure that you have the right motivation to be back on time. In addition to all this, unless you have a pass to be in the library for study time, once you are in the dorm, you are not to leave it, even when study time is over. They assure us that they have every man on the case, and they hope to get this settled quickly. Thank you for your time, and try to have a good day in class."

However, four students came together to talk.

At lunch, the six, (the other three coming at Billy's request,) with Rachel, came together to discuss the matter. "Boy, this really sucks!" said Billy.

"I would agree, this would make things difficult," said Fakir.

"If we needed to be off campus, not just for this case, but for anything else, how would we do it?" asked Ahiru.

"I had a word with Mr. Johansen," said Mytho, "and he told me that, if the three of us were to be with you, considering that we may have professional things or business to tend to, then we can be off, but you have to let him know first."

"We could use that as cover," said Mary.

"Indeed, it would be 'business matters,'" hinted Rue, "They would just be of a different sort."

"If worse came to worst," said Rachel, "I could get you off and on without anyone being the wiser. You know my abilities."

"Then we need to keep the team communicators on us at all times," said Ahiru, "even by our heads at the bedside. We would have to coordinate things, but we could do it."

"Still," sighed Billy, "I think they are overreacting. It may not be as bad as they think."

"That's not the worst of it," said Mary, "I hear that the headmaster is putting out feelers for extra security people, just in case."

"Now he's going too far," said Billy, "We have to do something to calm him down."

Ahiru said, "Why don't we just go as the six, and with you, Rachel, and let him know that things are safe…well, as safe as they can be…as safe as we can make it…I mean, that's what we do—that's obvious…we can…"

The other six there all curled their thumbs and forefingers together, cupping their hands, and all making duck calls. Ahiru groaned and rolled her eyes, saying, "I wish I could break that!"

"Why?" asked Rue, "You wouldn't be our Duck if you did," and she gave her a sisterly hug.

"Let's go pay someone a visit," said Fakir.

Just as Mr. Johansen was hanging up the phone in his office, he nearly crawled out of his skin when Raven materialized right there in front of his desk with the Secret Six. "Please, fear not dear sir," said Tutu in her calm, reassuring way, "We have come to bring you glad tidings."

"Princess Tutu!" he said, "I am certainly happy to see you bunch here, but I would ask for more of an announcement."

"There was a reason," said Black Knight, "We wanted to make it plain to you that extra security, and maybe a couple of your precautions might not be necessary."

"Rest easy," said Claire, "The Secret Six, and our ally here are watching over things, as well as trying to aid the authorities in capturing the murderer."

"Well, maybe so," said Johansen, "Still, I just want to be sure that the kids are safe. Once this thing hit the wires, all the parents started to contact us. The phone was ringing off the hook! I have to do whatever it takes to assure the parents that their children are safe. Besides all that, you shall be assured to know that you shall not be alone. I just now got off the phone with Lex Luthor, and he has pledged me 30 more men on top of the normal security from his protection agency to help take care of things at no cost to us."

Captain Marvel wanted to say something, and it showed on his face. White Knight wanted to know what he was feeling, but in this state, his mind could neither be read, nor controlled. However, he did guess that, after hearing Luther's name dropped, it could not be good. They then told Johansen that they would still keep the vigil and left. Once they were out of anyone's hearing, White Knight asked Cap, "What is bothering you?"

"If Luthor is offering this help," answered Cap, "know that there are strings attached somewhere. I just would like to know when the other shoe of that is going to fall, and what it shall mean."

Because of the murders, the press, and the police, had not been spending as much time paying attention to the rash of burglaries taking place all around the suburbs and in Fawcett City proper. They had been felony level, but just barely. Drosselmyer had set it that way to insure that no one paid attention to it, nor could start to trace things to him. He was indeed delighted at what his dolls had done, and after the last night's take, he figured it was time to celebrate by throwing the switch that he had been waiting so long to throw. He walked up to his masterpiece and hit the switch. He stepped back as the eyelids came open, the head turned to look around, and then begin to look in wonder at all that was around her. Drosselmyer then said, "Happy Birthday, Uzzura!"

Instantly, the system inside her wooden body began to churn, attempting to learn what she had just heard. She began to mumble, and the sounds were not to dissimilar to the same sounds a baby makes when it is learning to talk. Finally, he heard, "Mum…mum…uz…uz…uz…uzzur…uzzur…UZZURA-ZURA!"

"Yes!" he exclaimed, and began to dance around the room. Uzzura screeched a bit in fear, not knowing what the cajoling was about, but then Drosselmyer began to hush her and say, "Shh, no need to fear! I am your father—your maker."

Again, the system went to work, trying to define and fit usage for the words spoken, and after some fumbling, she said, "No fear-zura! You father-maker—happy birthday-zura!"

Her mouth then formed a gleeful smile, and he picked up his modern day Pinocchio and danced around with her, saying, "You are beautiful! You are a gem."

Once again, she mumbled, and finally said, "Uzzura a gem—UZZURA BEAUTIFUL!"

Drosselmyer himself was on cloud nine by that point, and he began to apply her education. He would insure that she would be ready to pull off the biggest job yet!

5


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

A week had passed, and nothing had changed. Apparently, the killer knew that they police were onto him, and he decided to lay low for a bit, as is the pattern of most serial killers. He just sought to bide his time, and wait until the guard of the general public was down, and then he would seek to strike. However, by this happening, as the rash of thefts and burglaries were increasing, the police were now giving it more notice. Everywhere, the pattern was the same: no forced entry, amounts were taken that, though not great in size, they were great in value. Worse, it seemed that some of the thefts had taken place while the families were home and were sleeping. There were no prints, and in fact, in some cases, lock boxes were not picked into, but were open with the keys. No one in the house could be blamed, because those involved would be asleep at the time. The police wanted to keep a watch, but the thefts were too widespread and random, and they did not know for what to look. This also caught the attention of the Secret Six, and they wanted to do something about it. However the curfew that was being run made it hard for them to do anything as a team.

In reference to the curfew, indeed, the security company from Lexcorp was there to watch over things. However, their flavor of security made the students feel like they were living in a police state. It was bad enough that their presence was there, but they were also armed. Mr. Johansen was apprehensive about this at first, but Luthor assured him that, due to the nature of the situation, this had to be done. Yet, having armed guards around like that made everyone quite nervous. They were very forceful about getting people on campus in time before the gates closed, and they were also very nasty if a student was not quite in the library or dorm at the proper time. Their presence on campus was so bad; you could not turn a corner without running into one of the security men. Even poor Poe was being questioned. Certainly, they had not seen anything like him before. He was splitting his time between the Raven's Nest and the girl's dorm, assuring that the new home would be ready in time, and assuring the girls that their black feathered guardian angel would still be there for them. The first time he flew in and landed, he tried to walk in, but they pulled guns on him, and they were ready to blast him to Kingdom Come. If Rue had not been there at the right time, it may well have happened. After a couple of days of harassment, he decided to just fly in from the back, carefully, and walk to the dorm. It was a hard time.

The first weekend of the curfew was coming up, and the students were hoping for the first dance that night. However, due to the way things were set up, it could not happen. Now the students were becoming a bit agitated. It was hard to go to the gym with everything the way it was, which was the only real place they could go for recreation since they had to be back before sunset. Boredom was overtaking the students, and the only thing that they could do was turn to their arts to vent steam. Considering that the fall variety show was coming up, many students focused their efforts on preparing things for that, so at least there was that. Mary, Billy, and Ahiru were stewing over what they wanted to do that Friday evening before sunset when Fakir, Rue, and Mytho came by. Mary was ecstatic. Because of the way they had to be apart, being together was difficult. As soon as she saw Fakir, she ran up and jumped onto him, wrapping her legs around his waist and planting a big kiss on him. "Glad to see you too!" said Fakir, as he set her down. Ahiru was now curious, saying, "What are you guys doing here?"

"It's Friday night," said Rue, "I figured that going out was in order."

"Is it just for tonight," asked Billy.

"Actually, no," said Mytho, "We were arranging it so that you could spend the weekend with us. After all, we have to work on an act for the fall variety show."

"You can be in it?" asked Mary.

"Why not?" said Fakir, "It's good publicity for the school, and we are alumni."

"There is also the matter of the 'other reason,'" added Rue.

As this discussion was going on, Elly and Nana came out of the dorm, seeing the conglomeration, and Nana said, "What's going on?"

"Oh, the six of us were heading out for the weekend," said Ahiru.

Both girls looked dejected, "Great, that means we'll be trapped here all weekend," said Elly, "There are only so many sketches of the campus that I can do."

The six conferred, and then Mary said, "Why don't you guys come with us? It would be no problem!"

They did not wait for someone to say it again. In a flash, the two of them were upstairs and putting together weekend bags for themselves. The sun was just about set when they came down, and Mytho had already contacted the headmaster, insuring that their stay would be cleared. Mr. Johansen was fine with it as long as they did not leave the group. Any relief that he could give the students he was going to do. He was now regretting the security measures he had taken, but in order to keep Lexcorp from doing something to the school, (though what it could do he did not know,) he tolerated it. "Elly," uttered Rue, "I hear that you wanted to do portraits of us for the new theater."

"Well, I was asked," Elly stated.

"Then you can use this chance to get the job started," said Rue, "At least you have some excuse to be off campus if anyone rides you about it."

The conglomerate were now heading for the gate as it was about to close. The security saw them, and said, "Sorry, we're closing up. You can't go."

Fakir did not like the posturing of the guard in his face, and he said, "Excuse me, but three of us are not students, and they all have permission to come with us."

"Do you have the paperwork for that?" asked the guard firmly.

"We have the headmaster's clearance," said Mytho, "What else do we need?"

"We need to see permission slips before that happens," answered the guard, posturing even more. Suddenly, Mytho began to feel like he was facing the Gestapo. This was not too dissimilar to, "I am sure that your papers are in order, yes?"

Rue came in and said, "I don't believe that was required in all this."

"Well, _we're_ requiring it!" he snapped, "This way, there is complete accountability, and if anything happens, it is all duly noted, and everyone is covered. Sorry, but you'll have to leave if you don't have the paperwork to show that they can leave, and you can be here."

"But, they're alumni," argued Mary, "They can do…"

"That means that they are not students," he stated, as the other guards were noticing this and coming over, "and they are not supposed to be here! Now everyone get to where they are supposed to be before we force you!"

"Then I guess you'll have to catch me," said Elly, now standing on the other side of the gate. No one even saw her pass. Now everyone began to turn to her, and that is when everyone decided to walk out. As this was happening, Rachel was heading back to the dorm, and she did not like what she saw. She stepped up and demanded to know what was going on. They snapped at her to go to the dorm, and now they were forcibly grabbing people. They shoved Fakir as the flung Mary back inside. She hit hard, skinned her hands and knees, and she started to cry. At that, Fakir saw red, and belted that guard dead in the face. The guard was out before he hit the ground. Once this happened, two more guards found themselves on their backs as Billy and Ahiru flung off their guards. Ahiru may have been a bit more timid as Tutu, but for some reason, that did not carry over into her standard self, and in that state, she was more aggressive. The rest of the guards now forgot about Elly and pulled their guns on the three "strangers." At that point, two ravens showed up: Poe and Rachel as Raven. She had slipped off, changed, and came back. Poe jumped the guard that had a bead on Rue, and Raven shot energy bolts at the remainder of the standing guards. She then said, "I do not think that this is in line with company policy, gentlemen. Leave them alone, or face the wrath of the Raven!"

The guards that were not unconscious started to back off seeing who was before them, and then Raven called for Poe, Elly, and everyone else to gather around her, saying, "We shall see you at the end of the weekend!"

With a wave of her cape, they were gone. The few left conscious were not sure how they were going to report this.

In almost an instant, they were at the Schmidt's apartment, all safe and sound. Everyone was stunned at what had happened. "That was amazing!" said Nana, "How did you do that?"

"It's a family secret, kiddo!" joked Raven.

It was now about 5:30 that evening, and it was time for dinner. Billy said that he knew a nice place not too far from there, and it served great Italian food. Dinner was on him. Everyone cheered and prepared to go. Ahiru then said, "If only Mai and Yuma were here, the whole gang would be together."

"Maybe next time," said Rue, "We can only do so much. By the way, Mary, how is Mai?"

"Oh, I've been working with her," answered Mary, "She has really grown her hair long now, and she is really starting to get in touch with her feminine side. She even said that she and Yuma were going to do something for the show."

"Why not include them," said Mytho, "I know what we could do!"

"What do you have in mind?" asked Billy.

"We have enough that we can do our own mini-Moulin Rouge!" said Mytho, "You girls could do the Can-Can, the boys could do some ballet in authentic Parisian wear, and maybe Fakir and Mary could the dance a l'apache."

Elly thought for a moment, and said, "Then maybe I can do your portraits for the new theater in the style of Toulouse Lautrec?"

"Sounds great!" everyone said, and they were off to dinner, as Poe stayed back to mind the house. Since there were going to be several people, he went about setting up the best sleeping arrangements for everyone, and even set up some snacks for them when they returned.

The restaurant was about what you would expect in a fine Italian restaurant. It was comfortably lit, with fine tables, artwork and pictures all over the wall from Rome and Venice, even a wandering violinist. However, Rachel decided that this would be a great chance to get into the head of Elly. Her mind pattern showed some interesting things, and she wanted to get to what the deal was. No one saw her walk out, but Mytho and Rachel certainly _sensed_ her going by. There was something to that, and what she had seen in her head. If this was some kind of special ability, maybe there would be a way to foster it? As the captain walked them in and a large table was being put together, Rachel made sure to get a seat by Elly. As they waited for the menus, conversation began about the current situation, school, and other things. Rachel then said, "Say, that was a neat trick that you did, going right by everyone without being seen."

"Everyone seems to think so," said Elly, as she was paroozing the menu, not looking up.

"You seem so nonchalant about it," probed Rachel.

"I just never put too much thought into it."

"Do you realize that you are not seen?"

"Well, I don't turn invisible or anything."

"How do you know?"

"I can see myself."

"Could it be that you could cause it that people cannot see you?"

Elly now cocked her head and looked at Rachel out of the corner of her eye. "Okay, what brought this on?" Elly said suspiciously.

"Well, it's just interesting, that's all," said Rachel, trying to cover up, "I just wanted to know how you did it."

"I have a guess, but I really don't know," responded Elly.

"How long have you been doing this?"

"Ever since I came out of my illness, people have noticed this."

"How long were you ill?"

"I was ill for about two years. I slept through almost all of it. It was touch and go there for a while. It's nicer this way, because it is easier to keep track of time this way."

Rachel began to think for a moment, and she began to wonder if something happened while she was ill. By this point, the waiter came up and everyone began to order. When it came to Elly, she said, "I would like the Pasta Fasul, garlic bread, the soup, Coke, and a chocolate sundae to finish."

Everyone took a look at her, surprised at the order, and then went back to their ordering. As things were being friendly, Elly mentioned something else. "Another neat trick I learned was that, somehow, if papers are left open, I can read what is on them no matter where I am—even if I cannot see the writing."

Rachel was now almost certain that something happened in her head. "That is interesting," responded Rachel, and decided not to pursue the matter anymore. She figured that later on would be better to find out, after she had fallen asleep.

They arrived back at the apartment at about 8 P.M. and Fakir broke out Pictionary. However, Fakir said, "This is not going to be as normal. This was a game that some of the dancers at the company taught us to help us improve our pantomime. The game is called Pictionary Charades. Instead of drawing the words, you act them out. This can be interesting for certain words. I remember the night Rue picked 'Madrid' as her word. They almost needed to use oxygen to bring us around because we were laughing so hard. So, we make two teams, and then we begin."

Everyone was laughing so hard it began to hurt. For example, Nana got the word "stadium," and it was a trip just watching her try to act this one out. Near the end of the game, Rue got the word "duck" and started to act like Ahiru. When everyone on her team shouted "DUCK," Ahiru realized what was happening, and biffed Rue with a pillow. Rue got that evil look in her eye, grabbed one herself, and swung at Ahiru, but hit Poe instead. He cawed, but caught the game, grabbed a pillow himself and started in. Before you knew it, the pillow war was on. However, Elly was already worn out from the first game and slunk away to get some sleep. Rachel took this opportunity while everyone was distracted and went up to Elly and linked with her mind.

As Rachel rooted around, she found going from one spot to another was a bit easier. She could not figure out why this was, and decided to make a thorough examination of her brain in the area of connections. What she found was interesting. There was a small area that had a connection that was dead where it should not have been. She then found that it had connected itself again through areas of the brain that are not actually used for anything. She then began to tap into her memories, and tapped into the subconscious. While all this was going on, Elly was having dreams about that time, and she did not know why. It was not a comfortable sleep at all, but she did not realize that it was Rachel's rooting around that was causing this. As Rachel looked, what Elly did not realize was that, during that time, there was a two week period where she was actually in a coma in the hospital. The doctors did not know why the brain failed in that area. All they knew was that it was gone, and it caused the coma. However, the brain righted itself, and apparently tapped into something when it reconnected. Elly was home before she awoke, so she had no memory of any of this. Meanwhile, Elly was dreaming about the hospital and the conversations around her. She began to twist a bit in her sleep, and Rachel decided that this was enough for the night. She tapped into more pleasant memories in Elly's subconscious so that she could sleep better, and broke contact. Rachel did not know if Elly knew any of this, but she would have to ask in the morning. It was interesting indeed. She would use the chance in the doll shop that the girls were going to visit the next day—someplace called "Otto's Doll and Wonders Shop." Maybe she could get Elly to look at the potential artwork that could come with the dolls, and then use that as a chance to ask about all this.

Meanwhile, during that week, in that same shop, interesting things were happening. Uzzura was learning at a frightening pace, and she now had the mind of a four year old child. She was precocious, and liked to drum on things. Because of that, Drosselmyer added a snare drum to her ensemble, so she could beat on that instead of everything else! Yet, on that very Friday, that afternoon, something happened that worried Drosselmyer. Uzzura saw the amount of silver, gold, and jewels that were floating around. She asked, "What is all the pretty, shiny-zura?"

Drosselmyer was not sure how to answer that, and thought for a few moments on how to answer. He did not want to make it sound like he was doing anything wrong, because he was not sure how she would react to it. However, because he took more time than she cared for, she started to hit the drum rapidly and yell, "Uzzura want to know-zura!"

"Okay, okay child," he responded, "These are just pretty little treasures that all your friends in the shop get for me."

"How do they do that-zura?" she probed.

Drosselmyer began to fish around again, and then said, "They go to…special places…yes…because that is their purpose, and bring me these things."

She thought about the "friends" in the shop—the dolls—and she was not sure she liked them. She saw that they moved, and she wanted to talk to them, but they did not react to her. Then, when the words "their purpose" hit her electric ears, something in the programming that he had put in her clicked in, and she said, "What is my purpose-zura?"

Drosselmyer went stiff for a moment, shocked by the question. Was she becoming "aware" already? "Your purpose is to do what I tell you, to learn as much as you can, and to make me happy?"

However, this did not satisfy the criteria of the question the programming was bringing out, and in fact, it was hitting the parts of the programming that dealt with self-awareness, self- esteem, self-examination, and self-worth. What she was really asking, (but did not know how to say it,) was, "Why am I here? Why am I alive? Who am I really?"

She probed again, and said, "What is my purpose-zura?"

Now, Drosselmyer was at a loss. He now did not know what she meant, and did not know how to answer. He then was relieved when he heard the chimes over the door ring, meaning that someone had entered his store, and he went to see those people, just to get away from the 3rd degree he was receiving. As he left, her circuits and pinions in her head were churning, trying to cope with the strange stirrings within her. She did not know that the churnings are what we would call feelings, and she was trying to come to grips with this, and she did not realize that she was trying to find herself. Then, something pretty caught her eyes in the pile, she went to it, but then she began to think again. Back and forth her thoughts went, from the baubles to her feelings, and Drosselmyer had no idea that his Achilles Heel was standing in his workshop.

6


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Everyone awoke at about 7 A.M. and all were quite hungry from their activities the night before. They divided up the use of the bathroom into shifts and all prepared to go out for breakfast. However, Rachel was going to try to get Elly away from the others a bit to talk to her and reveal what she had discovered. Yet, doing so would mean that she would have to reveal who she truly was, and she was not sure that she was ready to reveal that much. Once everyone was dressed, they headed out. Billy knew a good diner where one could get good home cooking for a cheap price, and yet was not loaded with smoke. There was a large round table that could accommodate the entire crew, and they headed for it. The owner, on the other hand, caught one look at Poe, and she was displeased. "Kids, I've seen many strange things in my time, but I have never seen someone try to bring in their pet…" and she was not sure what to call it, and then guessed, "…emu into the diner. It will have to wait outside."

Then, everyone's jaw dropped when they heard "it" say, "Poe not an emu, Poe a raven!"

One could have heard a fly walk on the wall, as the kids looked like they were in the center of a bunch of codfish. Billy stepped up and said, "Hey, Marlene, you've seen some strange things around me before. This surprises you…because…?"

Marlene snapped out of it and said, "Oh, hi Billy—didn't see you there. Is this your…pet?"

"No, he's our butler," said Billy, as if something like this was normal.

"Oh, so he's a…um…service animal?" asked Marlene, not knowing what else to call it and have an excuse for it to be in there. Rue picked up on it and said, "You could say that," not really committing to it. By this point, everyone else in the diner became very interested in their own meals. Marlene said, "Okay, he's fine, as long as he behaves himself. What does he want for breakfast?"

She did not know if she had birdseed on hand, or if she would have to send a waitress out to fetch some. Billy said, "Hey, he's a raven: he eats everything."

Poe looked a little offended as he said, "What is this? You think Poe is garbage can? I do have some taste, you know!"

The kids laughed as Billy said, "Don't worry, you'll get a menu!"

As they ate breakfast, Rachel was trying to figure out how to deal with things. Finally, she said, "Say, Elly, could I have a private word with you once we are done eating?"

"I suppose," Elly answered, not sure how to take it considering the grilling she had taken the night before from her.

After a good fill, Rachel got a distance ahead of the others with Elly, and said, "I have something to tell you, but to tell you, I have to reveal something. Can you keep a secret?"

Elly was now uneasy about this. Why was this happening, and why was this girl, who she hardly knew, so interested in her. Elly took a chance and said, "Look, I don't care what you do in your personal life, and I do think I can be your friend, but I am not that way…"

Rachel stared at her for a second, and then realized where Elly was going, and she said, "No, I'm not… Look, you said that you had been sick for a time, right?"

"Y…yeeeeeeeeeesssss," Elly answered, she becoming a bit annoyed with Rachel now.

"What if I were to tell you that there was a point where you were out for a week, and there had been complications with things?"

Elly went stiff. How did this girl know that she knew she had had a week missing out of her life? Elly got in her face and said, "How do you know this!"

Now Rachel knew that she had stepped over the line of no return. Rachel found an alley and led Elly into it. As she did, Rachel motioned that it was alright, and motioned them along. Ahiru was not sure what was going on, but she remembered her first encounter with Elly when she was Tutu, and she decided to hang back and jump in if there was trouble.

In the alley, Rachel said, "What I am about to show you, you cannot tell to anyone. Do you understand this?"

"What are you trying…" demanded Elly, but she was cut off when she watched Rachel transform into the Raven right before her eyes. Now all Elly could do was stare. "This is why I know," said Raven, and Elly was about to bolt in fear. However, the alley mouth was filled with another presence. Standing there with her arms crossed before her breasts, up on her toes was Princess Tutu. "Fear not, dear Elly," said Tutu, with her big eyes and gentle smile, "for she is my friend."

She looked ready to faint, so Tutu sashayed over and caught her hand. Instantly the link was made, and Elly felt more peace than she ever had felt. Because of the link, and the thoughts on Elly's mind about the missing week, Tutu knew right away what was going on. "Ah, I see that Raven wants to show you the source of your gifts," said Tutu, "Open your thoughts up to us, and we shall guide you."

Elly was more of a captive audience, and felt that she did want to go, yet, at the same time, she felt that she did not want to break the great feeling that she was feeling at that moment. Without even an invitation, the three began to dance. Elly did not know that she was capable of doing this, but she also felt that Tutu was guiding her every move, and somehow, she felt okay with it. Raven then said, "You have incredible gifts that you have not even fully tapped into yet."

"You know some things now," added Tutu, "but there could be more that you could do with your powers."

"My powers?" asked Elly, now confused.

"A complication in your illness caused a connection in your brain to break and not reconnect," said Raven, "This put you into a coma while you slept, and this is why you have no memory of things."

Tutu added, "From what I see, your brain, and the essence of what is you, wanted to fix this. A new connection was made through one of the spots in the human brain that are not used—a dead area, if you will."

Elly was now becoming frightened by this talk, but Tutu embraced Elly gently, and said, "This is nothing over which to be frightened, dearest Elly. We are friends, and we want to tell you that what could have been bad has been made a great opportunity for you!"

Tears were in Elly's eyes, and she said, "Why didn't anyone tell me my life was in danger?"

Raven jumped in and said, "You were well before you awoke, and your family brought you home, so there was no need to tell you. However, if they had known what had happened, I am sure they would have told you at that point."

"Are you saying something happened in my head that allows me to do what I do?" asked Elly.

"Of course," said Tutu, "and we want to help you foster your gifts."

At this the dance ended, and all seemed okay. However, Elly said, "Look, I know you two are superheroes and all, but I don't know if that is what I want."

"You don't have to," said Tutu, "But, at least, if you learn how to tap into your gifts' fullest potential, you could still use it for good."

"But, how can you help me?" asked Elly. With that, not only did Rachel change back, so did Tutu. Elly's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "Duck?" she asked, all surprised. Ahiru smiled her bright smile and said, "Yep!" with all the charm of a cute 14-year old girl. At first, Elly wanted to be scared, but now, at seeing this, she suddenly felt safe. "We have shown much in trust by revealing this to you," said Rachel, "therefore, please trust us when we tell you that we will not share this with others, or exploit you in anyway."

This was answered with a big hug, and Ahiru said, "Let's catch up with the others!"

The girls came to the doll shop they had heard about, and the boys decided to go into a sporting goods shop, while all agreed to meet up at the music shop later. It was about 10 in the morning by this point, and they were glad they had awoken early to be able to have a long day together. They came to the shop that said, "Otto's Doll and Toy Wonder Shop," and saw the things displayed in the window as amazing. The dolls were all mechanical, but done in the classical style. There were also other automatic toys and games, and they were now quite keen to go in. Inside the shop, Drosselmyer was watching Uzzura, not certain what was going on. She had been very quiet since the night before when she started to ask those riveting question. She had been spending a lot of time looking into the mirror, and then comparing herself to the other dolls in the shop. Drosselmyer was hoping to get things going with her before this moment, but he had underestimated her ability to learn. He still hoped that he could pull off grander things with Uzzura, but now he was not sure how to go about it. This is when the bell rang, and let Drosselmyer know that there were guests. He looked at Uzzura and said, "Be good, and stay right there while I go see our guests."

When he left, Uzzura was not sure that she wanted to stay in the back. He kept calling people coming in, "our guests," but if they were so, why could she never meet them? This is when fate played her hand.

All the girls were walking around, looking at and trying various things as Otto was very glad to tell his guests all about them. However, Nana had separated herself from the others, being very interested in the dolls. They looked much like the ones that she remembered back in Paris with her grandmother, but those dolls were never like this. The shop itself had the old European feel to it, from the wood carvings in the décor, to the look of the shelves, even the trim on the pane glass in front of the shop. The floor gave away that feel as it creaked here and there depending on one's size. Nana was captivated, but by this point, she had the sensation that someone was following her. She slowly turned around, but she saw no one, but the sensation someone was behind her, staring holes into her, would not go away. She slowly turned again, and again, nothing. Nana decided to be clever, and say, "Well, I guess there is no one behind me," took two steps, and then pirouetted to see something shorter than her scoot behind her. Nana did not let on that she knew what was happening, but she took a couple of steps backward, then spun around and nabbed her "shadow." "Got you!" said Nana, thinking for a moment that she had grabbed a toddler, but then was shocked to see, and to feel, that she was holding onto a two and a half foot doll. She wanted to yell, but she was frozen there, eyes wide as dinner plates. Her mouth went agape when she heard the thing say, "You won the game-zura," and then watched as it reacted like a small child as it smiled, closed its eyes, and raised its arms. Uzzura, sensing that the girl had not moved, made a face of wonder, made like she was sucking on her forefinger, and said, "Why are you still like a doll-zura?"

"Dolls do not do what you can do," said Nana, as she attempted to cough out the words.

"Otto says I'm special-zura!" Uzzura answered gleefully.

"You are indeed!" responded Nana. Uzzura thought for a moment more, and said, "Are you Uzzura's friend-zura?"

"Is Uzzura your name," asked Nana of the very German looking doll before her—what she thought was part doll and part nut cracker.

"I'm Uzzura-zura!" Uzzura said, happy that Nana had learned her name. She then asked, "And what's your name-zura?"

"_Je__m'appelle_ Nana," she responded, but Uzzura looked confused.

"That means, 'my name is Nana'—it is French,"

"What is French-zura?"

"It is the way we talk in my homeland of France."

"It sounds funny-zura."

"Not every one talks the same way _petite __une_."

"What did you say-zura?"

"That means 'little one.'"

"Can you teach me French-zura?" asked Uzzura, her programming that caused her to want to learn now surging.

"Maybe one day, if…" responded Nana, and she popped up, saying, "Monsieur Drosselmyer, how much is this doll here?"

Otto looked over the shelf and saw to what she referenced, and looked in horror. He quickly said, "She is not for sale! She is a…special work…and she needs to be in back," the last comment thrown at Uzzura hinting her to go into the back. Uzzura, however, showed that she could be stubborn, saying, "I made a new friend-zura!"

"Now, you march right back to the back, young lady," said Drosselmyer, as if she was his daughter, but Uzzura stuck out a lower lip, and started to beat her drum angrily, saying, "I DON'T WANNA GO-ZURA!"

Otto excused himself and picked up the miscreant doll and said, "I'll be right back!"

Once in the back, he scolded Uzzura, and said, "Now you just wait here, you little devil, and we'll talk when I get back!"

When he returned, the ladies all had one doll or another they wanted to buy, Mary having the money for them, which put Drosselmyer in a better mood when he saw the cash. He told them all the features of the dolls, and how to activate them. Of course, for the older girls, they would be nothing more than décor, and something to show friends when they came over. However, Drosselmyer had more sinister plans. Yet, as they were dealing, another set of eyes looked on, especially at Nana. She did not like how Otto had scolded her, and she remembered how Nana treated her. Even when Otto had been somewhat nice, he still treated her like she was not…well…she really did not realize anything about the way he had treated her until she met Nana, and had something against which to contrast. One thing was certain: the sensations she felt with Nana, (things she did not yet know were called "feelings",) were more agreeable than those with Otto, and she wanted to experience more of this. Therefore, when Otto was not looking, she snuck after the girls and slipped out the door. Otto was glad to not only have made a sale, but that he had set up some new treasure gaining ventures. Now, he had to look to Uzzura, and see if there was something he could do with what he saw as a growing problem. He was the only one that knew where her off switch was, and he was going to root around a bit in her programming, and maybe start from scratch. Yet, when he went to the workshop, she was gone. "Uzzura," he called, "Where are you?"

He looked all over the shop for her for about a good fifteen minutes. He then remembered what had happened with the youngest girl, and went out to the street. By this point, however, they were gone. Now he began to worry.

As the girls made their way to the music shop, Rue asked, "What was that all about?"

"Oh, it was the most wonderful toy," said Nana, "This one could talk, and it seemed to be a learning doll."

"A learning doll?" asked Ahiru.

"Well, it seems like it was like a Furby, but much more sophisticated," said Nana, "I would have loved to have it. It called herself Uzzura."

"'She'" said Rue, "How do you know it was female?"

"That is an interesting name, though," said Mary, "Who calls themselves 'Uzzura?'"

As if it were an answer to this, they heard behind them, "_Je __m'appelle_Uzzura-zura!"

All the girls gave a start, and then turned around to see the thing with which Nana had been conversing as it began to march in a circle declaring in son as she played her drum, "I am Uzzura-zura! _Je m'appelle _Uzzura-zura!"

They all now knew they had a problem.

5


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

That same Saturday morning, other kinds of problems were cropping up. In one corner of Metropolis sat a rather high tech industrial complex. A tall sign sat prominently in the complex big enough to be seen by most of the commercial district of the city. In front of that sat the tallest building in the city—Lexcorp Tower. It stood about 1,500 feet high, windows from top to bottom, looking like a twisting pyramid. It wasn't the tallest building in the world, but it was one of the top four, just ahead of Sears Tower in Chicago. In this building sat all the offices that ran the business empire headed by one Lex Luthor. He was a man now in his late 50's, but he was still quite the handsome man. He cut an imposing figure. He stood about 6' 3", and was well built for his age, even for a young man! His face and eyes were sinfully attractive, and the fact that he had not one hair on his head did not make a difference. Having once been the president of the United States only seemed to hone his ability to run his empire. The only regret he had about having been president was that he could not use that power for what he really wanted, and something to which his empire was dedicated, though almost everyone involved with it did not know what that was. Ever since the incident involving Superman that caused him to lose all his hair, he realized that these so-called superheroes were rogue factors that could not be controlled or even control themselves. He was foolish for even trying to come up with immunity from kryptonite for Superman, for it caused him to lose his hair—thanks to Superman. He had always had mistrust for them, but that made it worse and final. Now his whole life was dedicated to the elimination of the superheroes, and his conglomerate was dedicated to that purpose.

It was early Saturday, about the time the kids were eating breakfast in Fawcett City. He actually lived on the top two floors, the penultimate floor being his living and recreation area, and the top his office, right in the point. It was there he stood, with navy blue carpeting, various tropical plants about the room, with a rosewood desk done in colonial style. On it sat about four telephones, his computer keeping track of the stock, mercantile, and foreign exchanges. He had an elaborate stereo playing some relaxing jazz on the old vinyl 33 1/3 rpm records. It had the finest speakers, and the ability to play any medium, sitting in a nice tower rack. He liked the pure sound that vinyl provided, but he did have it rigged to remove all the hiss and pops before it reached the speakers. Along with that was a large flat screen he used to watch the news, some TV, and could also be used for his computer and cyber video meetings or calls. He sat behind the desk in his executive office chair that looked more like a throne, looking over the records for the land he was observing, wondering who was bankrolling them. If he could buy that one out, he could just cut the kids out, and leave it at that. As if an answer to this, one of his phones rang.

"I have a call from Gotham City, Mr. Luthor," said his secretary.

"I wonder what Wayne wants now," he thought, frustrated. However, he decided to put it up on the screen, so the camera could be on him behind his desk, in an effort to look intimidating. On the screen came Bruce Wayne in a nice gray and pinstriped suit, sitting in a similar position behind his desk in Wayne Manor. His, however, looked more gothic and elegant than Luthor could have dreamed. "Hey, Lex, how you hittin' 'em?" asked Bruce.

"Things are well," Lex responded cordially, "I see you're getting some extra leg work in as well today."

"You know me," said Bruce, "My work is my play, and vice versa!"

Lex was not one for cordialities with his financial rival, but he also knew his business etiquette, and kept it polite. "So, with what may I help you?"

Bruce was not in a mood with which to be toyed, especially about what Lex intended with the school and the new theater. "Well," said Bruce, getting down to business, "I hear that you spoke to some of my beneficiaries about purchasing some land from them."

Lex played dumb and said, "Which ones would they be?"

"Ones who cosigned with me on a theater deal," said Bruce, grinning broadly.

Right away, Luthor knew what was going on, and it made him all the more upset. However, he contained it, and said, "Well, that helps. I've been looking for the one with whom they cosigned."

"And for what reason might that be?" asked Bruce in a mock pleasant tone.

"I have a personal interest in that land," said Luthor, leaning on his elbows with an equally sarcastic grin, "and I was just wondering how much it would cost for you to let me buy out the contract."

"I don't quite think you understand, Luthor," said Bruce. Lex knew that candor, especially when Wayne started to call him by his last name. Luthor kept his cool and said, "What is there to understand? Would it be too much of a problem for me to build them a new one right in Fawcett City? I am sure it would be better than living in a cave. Now, who would want their headquarters in something like that?"

Bruce managed to stifle a laugh, and then said, "It's not that, really. The thing is that it not only acts for their shows, it helps the school there. The students are going to be used frequently by the Pas De Six to help them get some live fire time on their credentials. This will aid them greatly when they graduate."

"Are you saying it is part of that school?" probed Luthor, becoming less and less amused as the time passed.

"It's not part of the school," said Bruce, "and what's more, the kids have expressed to me that they wanted to keep it close for that purpose, and the surroundings agree to them."

Luthor was becoming more businesslike, and said, "Bruce, this land is important to me. I…"

"It's important to them as well, Lex," said Bruce, matching Luthor's demeanor, "That's why they…we…are not selling."

Luthor now became firm towards him, (as if this was intimidating to Bruce,) and said, "All it takes is a little persuasion…"

Bruce cut him off again, and said, "Even if they said, 'yes,' I have the final say as cosigner. Since it was my money on the loan, they would have to follow my rules, although I am not tyrannical about it."

"Mr. Wayne," said Luthor, now talking to Bruce like a subordinate, "I don't think you understand my reach, and I don't think you ever have. Remember who helped Gotham city out of the 'No-Man's-Land' incident."

"I remember well, _Mr._ Luthor," said Bruce, not liking Luthor's tone, "and remember how I reciprocated by helping to finance your campaign. I owe you nothing."

Luthor hit his desk with both hands and stood up, thundering, "YOU OWE ME EVERYTHING!"

Lex then calmed himself, but did not stop his angry tone, "Bruce, its simple: either play ball with me, or I go behind your back. All I have to do is offer them the right sum, pay off the balance, and then you have to deal with me directly! I would then own that theater outright! I would rather you in on the deal than cut out on it!"

Bruce just sat their, fingers clasped on his chest, smiling like a Cheshire cat, and saying, "You know, I love seeing you desperate like this, Lex. The problem is not me. You are going to find out that they are not going to sell. It's not me you have to worry about. Besides all that, you now have me curious about what is on that land. I think I will have the Wayne Foundation research team check the place out. I think the whole world could benefit from this knowledge. Have a great day, Lex. See you on the courses!"

"Wayne, don't you hang up…!" snapped Luthor, but it was to no avail. If he were to find out, then it was over. The government could come in at that point and take the whole thing over. Because of where things sat, they could stop any drilling there, and all would be for naught. He did not like being outfoxed, and he now began to devise ways to destroy Wayne Enterprises, because that conglomerate kept getting in his way.

As he began to stew and steam, his secretary buzzed him again. Lex said, "No calls right now, I…"

"This is Dr. Savannah," said his secretary, "I think you need to take this call."

Immediately, he had it on screen, and he said, "I trust you have some good news, because I am in need of it."

"Yes," answered the doctor, "We have the samples, and we are in the process of finding out how things are."

"This is actually splendid news," said Luthor, "However, what are you trying to find out? What is there to know?"

"Well, Mr. Luthor," said the doctor in a far more cordial tone, "Oil is like a fine wine in the sense that it has to age properly before it can be used."

"What are you saying?" said Luthor, hoping he would not have to make the Alka-Seltzer company any richer.

"What I am saying is that this is standard procedure," said the doctor, "We need to see if it is ready, or needs to sit longer."

"So, everything is okay?"

"Continue with trying to obtain the land. You cannot chance everyone losing interest in your interest to the town and school."

Luthor concurred and thanked Dr. Savannah for the information. When he hung up, Luthor put some thought to it, and then said to himself, "You know, Lex, no matter what, you may still turn a profit from this!"

He then sat down grinning, plotting a few contingency plans. "No, Mr. Wayne," thought Luthor, "It's not over…it's far from over!"

By this point, the events from the toy shop were occurring, and now the girls had a situation on their hands. They began to try and just walk away, but Uzzura followed them tightly, playing and singing her little songs the whole way. This led right to the music store. When they entered, the boys were looking over some new instruments. Mytho was very impressed with the synthesizer violin, and he walked up to Rue and said, "This would come in handy. I wouldn't need a mic on stage for it. I just…Rue, what's wrong?"

She had a plain, and yet annoyed, look on her face when she hiked her thumb over her shoulder saying, "See for yourself."

As he did, the rest of the girls filed in with Poe to the sound of a small snare drum. She had caught the girls' cadence and was playing a beat to that. She looked at the boys and said, "You're friends of girls-zura!"

The three now stared in stunned amazement. They did not know what to say. She then got a curious look on her face, and said, "Why do you all look like fish face-zura?"

She then brushed into one of Poe's tail feathers and said, "Ooh…its soft-zura!"

"What…is…that…thing?" asked Fakir.

Uzzura was offended. She didn't know much about herself, but she knew she was not a thing. "UZZURA IS NOT A THING-ZURA!" she shouted, and Nana was quick to scoop her up and cover her mouth. "Shh," said Nana, "You don't want to make too much noise."

"Why-zura?" she said in a muffled tone.

"Well…" and she fought for a reason, "This is a store for music, and people need quiet to test instruments to see if they sound good."

Uzzura had now just been on the receiving end of a bunch of new things, and her processor was going through her data banks to find pronunciation and meaning. Once she figured out the meanings, she then said, "Oh, its music-zura!"

A moment or two later, her curiosity of music came to the fore. She now knew meanings and definitions, but now she wanted the experience. "Wanna hear music-zura," she said, in a whisper, remembering what Nana had said.

Meanwhile, Rue, for some reason, began to see her like a little sister just discovering the world. She then took her from Nana and took her to a keyboard. She switched on the piano setting, set her beside her, and began to play Mozart's Turkish March. Uzzura began to watch in amazement with the sight and sound, and her database was working overtime taking in the tune, matching it with what her encyclopedia told her, and now the sight, and understanding, of sheet music came out. "That's Mozart-zura!" she said in glee.

She then hopped down, and found the sheet music. At eye level sat some music for Bach, and she snatched it out. She then went back over to Rue, hopped up, spread the music on the stand, and was about to try to play herself. "You…you can play," asked Rue.

"My inside here, (pointing to her head,) tells me I can-zura!" responded Uzzura, but she then discovered that her hands were too small for the keys. She then frowned and sounded like she wanted to cry. "I want to play-zura," she pouted.

At this, Nana went to the store keeper and asked about something that children with very small hands could use to learn the keys. He smiled and said he had the very thing. Nana then said, "Uzzura, please come, and bring the music."

Uzzura had the music and was off like a shot behind Nana. Everyone now followed to see what the mechanical marvel could do. She sat her down to a piano that was designed for learning and small children. Uzzura was now ecstatic, and put out the music. It was Bach's _Air on the G String_, and she was playing it like a virtuoso. At this, Mary then said, "She must have a mini-computer in there with a huge database. Just bring out the right things, and it will look it up, and have her do it. Whoever did this was amazing."

"That 'whomever' must have been that shopkeeper," reasoned Rachel, to which Ahiru then said, "and I think we need to take her back as well before she is missed."

Uzzura instantly stopped playing, and looked like she was about to throw a fit. "No, I don't wanna go back!" she snapped, "Otto gives me tingles that are not good, but you give me good tingles."

Billy chimed in and said, "Wait, are you saying that you have feelings and emotions as well?"

Uzzura was allowing the words "feelings" and "emotions" to register, and she said, "Oh, those are that tingles-zura!"

"That answers my question!" uttered Billy, followed by, "Holy Moley! You are incredible."

"Uzzura incredible-zura!" she cheered in response.

Elly then said, "Nonetheless, you have to go back."

Now Uzzura clung to Nana's leg, and said, "I no wanna go back-zura!"

"Did someone hurt you?" asked Ahiru.

"Drosselmyer not nice-zura," said Uzzura, "Not like Nana-zura."

"Perhaps we could keep her," said Nana, "After all, it seems she has her own mind, and can make her own choices."

"But that is not a person," insisted Fakir, not wanting that to be running around the campus as a scientist is tearing up creation trying to find it. However, Uzzura did not like what was said and stomped up to Fakir and kicked him in the shin. Because it was wooden, it hurt! As he grabbed it in pain, cursing in German, Uzzura said, "I am a person-zura!" but then said, "What are those funny words-zura?"

"Never mind," said Fakir, and then Rue said, "Look, if no one says anything, then it is fine—she can come. Yet, the second something is said about her being missing, she must go back. It is not right if we did."

Uzzura brightened, and said, "I stay with Nana-zura!"

She was so happy, she started to march around and play the drum. However, Billy then said, "If you insist on hitting that thing, then let me see it, please."

Uzzura gave it over, and then Billy went to the drum heads. He bought a goat skin head the right size, and then tightened the snares on it. He gave it back, and then said, "Start to play some rolls and some drills."

Her database kicked in, and she stared to play with expertise now. It now sounded like a Scottish snare, and Uzzura said, "It sounds better-zura!"

Mytho began to get some ideas, and then brought her over to four toms used for marching. He then said, "Hit all four once."

She did, and she was happy they all made a different sound in pitch. She then began trying different things, and then she started to roll across them. Mytho then said, "We can put her in the AP class. She could be a student."

"Do you think that would really work?" asked Ahiru.

Mytho then said, "Okay, it's a long shot, but if there was some practical function for her on campus, then maybe something good could happen."

"Let's just roll with Rue's idea for now;" said Elly, "One thing is for sure: if we try to send her back, she'd only escape. I think we're stuck with her."

They all agreed at this as Uzzura shouted, "You're stuck with me-zura!" and started to march around and play her drum. Ahiru then said, "This sounds funny to say, but, why can't we just have a normal weekend?"

"Baby Duck," said Billy, "I think we need to find a new definition for the word 'normal' because what we once did consider normal is dead and buried."

5


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

As soon as they got Uzzura back to the apartment, she was amazed at the sight. She had never seen anything of décor outside of the shop, and now her electronic and mechanical neurons were firing on all synapses. A human would call it sensory overload, but for her, it was a dream come true. "Well, Uzzura how do you like…" and that was all that Rue got out of her mouth. Looking like the Flash, she was into everything: turning on the stereo, the television, tearing off the couch cushions, in the bedroom, pulling off the sheets, and flushing the toilet, to name a few things. One would have thought that, by the number of people there, they could catch her. However, because of the size of the apartment, that would be an almost impossible task. They were giants compared to Uzzura, and Uzzura took full advantage of this. Despite the apartment's space, the others spent time colliding with one another trying to catch something that thought the merry chase was nothing but a fun game. She was always one step ahead of the "giants." Finally, Uzzura saw the huge fish tank with the Japanese fish in it, and she just had to get into it. She was teetering on the edge, and then lost her balance…just as Nana caught her! "Sacre bleu, that was close, petite enfant," said Nana, wondering if she would have been fried, or if there were electronics in her that could be fried. However, Uzzura cried out, "Yea, Nana wins-zura! You won-zura!"

Yet, they looked over the house, and saw the damage. After about a half hour, (while Nana kept Uzzura busy,) they had the place straightened out. At that, Ahiru said, "Silly little doll, what are we going to do with you?"

Uzzura thought about it, and somehow, it provoked her to ask what she had asked Drosselmyer before, "What is my purpose-zura?"

The kids all looked at each other, not knowing what to answer. Neither Ahiru nor Rachel could get into her mind, because she was a machine. Mytho obviously not get a reading on her for the same reason. Elly looked her over, and sat down with Nana and Uzzura, saying, "Little one, we all ask that question sometimes, and we all spend our lives trying to answer that question more and more."

Uzzura looked sad at this, and they were surprised just how much a machine could emote. Uzzura then said, "I'll never know-zura?"

"That's not necessarily true," said Nana consolingly, "but that is not a question that is easily answered."

Elly chimed in and said, "Let me tell you what: I spent two years sick and in bed, and during a time when I was asking the same question. I still really don't know. I do my art to try to help me answer that, but I am still searching."

"You don't know-zura?" asked Uzzura.

"How would you like to find out together-zura?" said Elly as she smiled.

Uzzura was letting things calculate, and then she shouted, "Elly is now my friend too-zura!"

Uzzura then leapt up into the arms of a surprised Elly, and gave her a hug. All Elly could do was return the favor. Uzzura then said, "Mmm…soft and warm-zura!"

Elly did not quite know how to respond to it, and she just said, "You are a mechanical marvel."

After they ate supper, a discussion began to break out about the fall variety show. They called up Mai and Yuma and put them on the speaker so they could talk as well. However, Yuma said, "I have to say, you did cause quite the stir here on campus Friday night."

"Yeah," said Mai, "The headmaster is all up in arms about how the security treated you."

"I certainly hope it was enough to make Mr. Johansson fire those clowns!" said Billy.

"Not exactly, love," said Yuma, "But he did get into their ears about it, and Mr. Luthor as well. Mr. Luthor then fired the one in charge and put someone else in there, and told them that they answered to Mr. Johansson. They have been more cordial, but things are still a pain in the neck here."

"Well, let's talk about more pleasant things," said Ahiru, "like our idea for the variety show."

"We're planning on doing a mini-Moulin Rouge," said Mytho, "And we need the help of you two. Nana's in on this as well."

"What are you planning," asked Mai.

"The boys are going to get into some traditional Parisian clothes," said Rue, "Billy and Duck are going to do something from _An__ American__ in Paris_with me and Mytho, Fakir and Mary are going to do the _danse_ _a l'apache,_ and it finishes with us girls doing the Can-Can."

"Splendid!" exclaimed Yuma, "That will be so much fun!"

"Then Rue, Mytho, and I will be there Monday afternoon," said Fakir, "We can put this together after AP class, and Mr. Katt will be helping us. He loved the idea when we bounced it off him."

Elly then said, "Let me look at the backdrops that we have at school," said Elly, "I think I can get the scenery together. If I can't find anything, I think I can get my friends in the art school to help with making some."

"Well, you guys will have your hands full with the fall festival," said Mary, "You know what we are doing, right?"

"That's right, it's the _Fantasia_ thing, isn't it?" said Elly.

"That was Miss St. John's idea," said Ahiru, "She figured that it would be fun, but challenging enough to make us earn our grades."

"I think we can pull it off," said Elly, and Mytho then said, "I think that there are enough there to use, so making something fresh should be no problem. Besides, if there is an issue, I think that I can talk to the company and get some help. They love helping the school."

After going over a few things on choreography, they wrapped it up and prepared for bed. As everyone was bedding down, Fakir took Mary out to the balcony. They spent time looking into each other's eyes, and Mary said, "God, I miss you so much!"

"It's been hard on me as well, lipshun," responded Fakir.

She inched in closer, and they embraced and kissed. "We could have more time if it were not for that _luftkof_, (airhead,) killer on the loose."

"I'm glad we could get this time," she cooed in response.

They both sat down on the wicker love seat that sat out on the balcony, and spent time arm and arm watching the city roll by. They enjoyed one of the few quiet evenings they could get…or at least as quiet as things would be that night.

As they slept, because they had activated the dolls in the store as Drosselmyer had shown them, they were then set for a future activity. Once there was no movement, the dolls were able to detect this, and all began to go to work. Uzzura was on a hibernate mode to preserve her battery until she could move and recharge it, so she could not detect things at that moment. They were swift and quiet as they went. They found the trash bags and grabbed about two. They then proceeded to take money out of wallets, jewelry, gems, and anything else that their "programming" was geared for them to take. Once this was done, they prepared to go, but as they did, two more gemstones caught their eyes. One was in the master bedroom, and another was looking over Ahiru. Quietly and carefully they unclasped the pendants and took them as well. With that, they were out the door.

The next morning, Ahiru was just coming to life, but something felt funny. Ever since they had dealt with Edel, the pendant had never left her neck, as Rue's never left hers. Because of growing so used to that, it was almost as if she did not even feel it anymore. However, because it was gone, something did indeed feel amiss. She reached up, and then said, "Oh no! My pendant is gone!"

Everyone was up like a shot, and Rue began to say, "It probably just fell off while you slept Duck. Just…" but she then stopped, and felt the same sensations as duck had felt. She reached up and said, "Mine's gone too!"

Now everyone knew something was afoot. As Rue was making this discovery, Billy said, "And whoever took that cleaned out my wallet as well!"

By this point, people noticed things that were missing out of their personal belongings, as well as noticing other things gone as well. "How did someone clean us out while we slept," demanded Fakir, "I sleep light enough that I would have noticed something!"

As everyone was discussing, Uzzura had been alerted by that, and began to try to get involved. As they talked, she listened to what was being said, and heard the statement about missing things, and just what was missing. "Uzzura knows something-zura," she uttered, but no one seemed to listen. After some vain attempts, she finally began to roll on her drum and screamed, "UZZURA KNOWS SOMETHING-ZURA!"

They all wheeled around and said, "What do you know?"

"You said dolls stolen-zura," said Uzzura.

"Yes, that's true," said Nana.

"I know where dolls are-zura," said Uzzura, "They are at the shop-zura!"

"They're all at the shop," laughed Nana, "except for these."

"They are with shiny things-zura," said Uzzura, and that caught everyone's attention.

"Where are these shiny things?" asked Rue.

"They are at the shop-zura," said Uzzura, "There is lots of shiny things there-zura."

Fakir was already figuring things out, and he said, "If Drosselmyer could make her, then he could also make something to steal as well, couldn't he?"

"Most of all, we have to get those pendants back," said Rue.

Only Elly did not understand why, (because she had never seen Ahiru actually transform in to Tutu. She only saw the change back.) Elly said, "Are they that important?"

"We hold them close to our hearts," said Rue, "It's a family thing."

Billy then said, "Besides, I don't think it's going to take all that, we can resolve this as ourselves," and then he caught himself, because Nana and Elly did not know about the others there being the Secret Six. They only knew of Tutu, (and in Elly's case, Tutu and Raven.) "Well, let's give this a shot."

However, as they were going, Rachel brought Elly to the rear of the group and said, "Listen, I think you might be best suited for helping."

"How so," said Elly suspiciously, "I don't fancy getting shot if I'm caught."

"Believe me, with your gifts, that would not be a problem," responded Raven, "On top of that, I want to talk to you about how you can actually improve what you can do, and who you can actually bring back through yourself."

As they walked to Drosselmyer's shop Elly and Rachel still hung to the back, and Rachel then said, "I think you can make yourself even more unnoticeable by learning how to use what you can do to talk straight into the heads of the people around so they cannot get a bead on you."

"Why is that important?" asked Elly.

"Well, it almost seems that the world has gotten back one of its earliest heroes in you," answered Rachel.

Elly looked at her with a serious look, and said firmly, "Look, I'm not for all that superhero stuff, thank you very much. That's dangerous work, and I am very fond of breathing."

"That would never be an issue with what you can do."

"How so?"

"Back in the Great Depression, there was a hero that was very powerful because of what he could do. How he could do it actually came from time spent in India with the gurus there. His name was Lamont Cranston."

"Wasn't that the guy that owned that newspaper up north?"

"That's the very one. He learned how to cloud people's minds and talk straight into people's minds, making him seem invisible. He wasn't immortal, and he could be hurt or killed if he was trapped. However, it was almost impossible to catch someone that seemed like a phantom. He was called 'The Shadow,' and he had a loathing for crime. Even when some depression era supers came around to try to gain him as an ally, he was so mysterious that they could never get to him and make this request. He retired, but came out once and a while to lend his hand to some of the heroes of the Justice League, where his unique abilities made the difference many times over. When he died, all the truth of Lamont came out, and he is revered in the Justice League Hall of Fame, well respected and well revered."

"What does this have to do with me?"

"If you were able to hone what you can do, as well as your thing about reading papers that are exposed to you no matter where you stood in the room, you could be the new Shadow, and maybe even more powerful."

"Like I said before, I am not superhero material. Look at me!"

"Don't cut yourself down so much, Elly. With what you can do, that does not matter. Besides, if you get in, the league has a program to help shape you up, and have you able to be at least fit enough to run away or after someone if need be."

"I don't ever think that I'll stop being a big girl."

"That's okay. You can be big and still fit as well. There is no shame in being a big girl. What would happen, at least, is that a layer of muscle would develop, and you would be able to hold your weight even better than you do now. Who cares about outward appearances? It's your heart that counts. I digress. Anyway, we could use you with what we are about to do."

"What is that?"

"We need you to use your gifts to sneak back there and see if you can find out what is going on. If you can, you can find the pendants. I'll have the girls tell you what they look like, and they should be on top as the most recent hauls."

"I'm still not sure about this."

"Can you at least help today? We do need your help."

Elly nodded quietly, knowing that this would be the only time. After that, she would "hang up the tights," and just go back to the normal life she had been seeking ever since she somewhat recovered.

Once they got to the shop, Rachel told Elly what the pendants looked like, and they all entered in, including Uzzura, under the pretext of returning her. When they came in, he said, "Well, well, well, it's not often I have repeat customers so quickly! What brings you back today?"

Nana lifted up Uzzura, who was fighting it, not fully knowing Nana's intent. "I believe this belongs to you," said Nana.

"Oh, magnificent!" exclaimed Drosselmyer, "Where did you find her?"

"She actually followed us home like a lost puppy dog," said Rue.

"Well, thank you so much!" said Drosselmyer happily, "I tell you what: look around, and if there is anything that strikes your fancy, let me know, and I shall let you have it on the house!"

While all that was going on, Elly was already doing her thing and had walked to the back. Nana was still holding Uzzura, making sure she did not blow the collar. When Elly did enter, she was stunned at the amount of loot, and she almost lost her concentration. Because she had not yet learned to talk into people's heads yet, she walked over to Billy, and then whispered in his ear, "There is a ton of stuff back there! I'm going back for the pendants."

That was all Billy needed to hear. He went outside and decided to call Fawcett's finest. They would welcome that news. While he was doing that, and the girls were keeping Drosselmyer occupied by asking a slew of questions, Elly went back there and started checking the piles out for anything familiar. It was not going to be easy, because the pendants were just small enough to blend in. However, she then found a solid gold picture frame that looked just like the one that went around the wedding picture of Mytho and Rue. This had to be it. She started to sift through it, and she was fortunate enough to find the pendants. However, when she tried to extract them, some of the things fell of the floor and made a clatter. Drosselmyer went stiff. He knew where that had come from, and once he looked around and saw that a couple of people missing, he got angry and said, "You're friend better not be messing around back there!"

He went in back and saw nothing. Elly was keeping very still, considering that, though she could not be seen by him, she could still be detected if she was not careful. He stared to move through the back, and Elly stuck out her foot, sending him crashing. He yelled in pain and started to curse and complain. He could still not see what or who had tripped him, but he was a bit more frantic now. By this point, the police came in and he heard Billy say, "He's back there, and there is a ton of loot!"

That was enough for Drosselmyer. He immediately headed for the back and out of the building. Just after that, the police came in, and Elly allowed herself to be seen, saying, "He went that way! If you hurry, you can catch him!"

They ran out the back, but Drosselmyer was too clever for them. He chose to endure the stench and hide in the dumpster in back, knowing they would keep going in their search. After about a minute, he was out of there, and he then went up to his apartment above the shop. They knew that that would be the last place they would look. He would get some things together, and lay low for a few days. When they came back, they would start to look for evidence and he would have to wait for them to leave. The only thing he could think was that Uzzura had tipped them off somehow, and he cursed the day he ever built her. The only thing he could think to do now was to look up an old colleague and see if he could get work there. Considering who that was, he knew that there should be no problem. From that day on, he would then dedicate himself to finding out just who these kids were, and destroying them. Yes, he had lost this battle, but he was not about to lose the war!

6


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Once the police began their investigation, Ahiru and Rue still were smarting over the pendants. They stood outside, still at a loss. That was when Elly came up from behind and dangled them in front of their faces. "Looking for these?" she asked.

The girls squealed in joy, and they snatched them quickly. They thanked Elly profusely as the put them on, and then Elly produced the picture frame. "I thought this might hold some value for you, so, here you go," she said, handing it over. "How did you do that?" asked Rue.

"Well…just know that what I have done I will not be doing again," answered Elly, "I'll leave superhero work to the superheroes."

"That sounds like and odd answer," probed Fakir, but Ahiru then said, "And that is all you need to know."

Rachel then chimed in and said knowingly, "However, if you did have some kind of super powers, the world could benefit from that."

"Sorry, I'm retired," said Elly, and started to walk with the others, Uzzura still with Nana now not having anywhere to go. However, Rachel was not so easily put off. She started to talk directly into her head and said, "What is your problem?"

She wheeled around to look at Rachel, but all she did was just look at her. She looked forward again, and again she heard Rachel say, "You're being pretty selfish, if you ask me."

Now Elly knew what was going on. She just looked forward and acted like she did not hear anything. This did not work. "You can stop with the act, because I know you can hear me," said Rachel, "What I am doing you can do. Let me tell you: you can run from this, but it will hunt you down. Like it or not, you are in the world of supers, so you had better get used to it. You WILL have to use your abilities sooner or later."

Elly just kept walking.

As that was going on, a certain Johnny White Wolf was receiving a communication on his computer. He clicked on the inbox, and it was a contact from Oracle. He then went to the spot where he could communicate with her, and hoped there was good news. "Magpie here," said Johnny, "What do you have?"

"I have something that may interest you," she responded, "It took me some time and research, and believe me, it was not easy. There is no criminal record on someone like described, nor is there any indication that someone like that has ever been arrested. However, I cross referenced all this with people who have disorders, and I have someone who had been institutionalized for about two years. They have his picture and name, but they have nothing else that they were permitted to share. If I were to try, that would cross over into a criminal act, and it would be hard to justify probable cause, considering where I got this from. I'm sending you the dossier now."

It hit his mailbox, and he thanked her for the information, "Thank you: I know it's not much, but believe me, I can get somewhere with this."

He then opened the file and printed out the information. Once that was done, he got up and went to the kitchen for a cup of coffee. After turning on some Bach, he sat on his couch, sipped his coffee, and went over what he had. In the file was a picture that looked like a perfect copy of the police sketch. He set that down and picked up the personal file. The man's name was Gilbert Brooks, and he was about 22 years old at the time this had been made. The last entries were set in about three years after his release. It had been about three years, so this would put the suspect at about 27 years of age—about what was described by the White Swan. He then began to look at what put him in there. He was bipolar, but he had done some things before they found this out, this being what put him in the institute to begin with. Once in, they discovered his condition, and they put him on the proper medication. He seemed to progress well enough the more he took it and received counseling. Once they figured that he was no longer a menace to himself or others, they released him. This was all that was mentioned. He knew there had to be more. He saw that it was an institute from the west coast, so that made things a bit easier to trace from there. He took up his coffee and went to his computer. He then went into the directory for the town from which this Brooks hailed, and looked up his last name. Because it was a small town, there was not much of a list, but there were still about 23 names to go through. He printed up that list, came back out, grabbed his coffee again, and the phone. He then sat in his easy chair and started to make some calls.

As they were walking along, they were passing by a restaurant that had an au fresco area, and Rue spotted someone she knew from the company. She was sitting with a handsome bearded man enjoying a dinner. "Hi Rue!" exclaimed the woman, and Rue returned the greeting, "How have you been, Gretchen?"

They continued to exchange pleasantries, and Rue asked, "I'm sorry, I didn't get your name."

"Brooks Gilman," he said, smiling as he stood and shook her hand. "I assume that you two work together?"

"Pretty sharp there," said Rue, being a touch sarcastic, but not rude.

"I should have pegged you as a dancer the moment I spotted you," Brooks returned with a warm smile, "Are you all dancers?"

"We're the Pas De Six," said Billy.

"Oh, that's right…_Strut Your Stuff_!" he said, "I loved your performances. You must be the one they call Duck!"

"That's me!" Ahiru said gleefully, to which he said, "I bet you have to beat them off with a stick!"

"Not really," Ahiru responded, "That's what Billy's for anyway."

She nudged him and he just played like he was annoyed. As they talked, Mytho started to stare at the man. He did not notice it as much, but now the man's thoughts were screaming, and they were not clean ones at that. The more Ahiru spoke, the worse it got, and it was amplified more by his wife. He looked closely, and managed to see the mole on his right cheek underneath the beard. Mytho walked up to Rue and managed to get her away. He said quietly and seriously, "It's him."

Rue stared at him, and then stared at Gretchen, and said, "Are you sure?"

"You know I am seldom wrong, Liebling," responded Mytho.

She wheeled back around and got a close look at the man. She began to become angry, but Mytho squeezed her arm, saying, "We cannot act now, but we can get Gretchen away."

Rue went up and said, "Um…Can I have a word with you Gretchen?"

She excused herself and Rue took her out of earshot. She then said, "That's that killer!"

Gretchen looked aggravated at her, and she said, "That is no killer! He has a beard, and the killer does not!"

"The beard is not that old," said Rue, "And besides, that mole on his right cheek tells me something. Look at his hands while you're at it."

Angry, she marched back over, and then stood still as she saw the mole, and noticed the small bits of frayed skin on his fingertips. She went back, and said, "I'm sorry for yelling at you!"

"It's okay," said Rue, "When did you meet him?"

"It was a couple of days ago," responded Gretchen.

"Get away while you can!"

In the meantime, Mytho was subtly spreading word that they had their killer. However, they could not jump him like that, nor could they change in front of him. Gretchen came up and said, "That's right! I'm so sorry Brooks, Rue reminded me of a special rehearsal, and I have to get to it. Maybe we can get together tomorrow?"

"Perhaps," said the man, "I'll give you a call?"

"That would be fine," said Gretchen, and the two went on as if they were heading to the studio. Fakir and Mytho went with them to complete the illusion. This Brooks paid the bill and started to go on. It was at this point that Rachel said to Elly right into her head, "Tail him…in your way!"

Elly then spun around and said, "That man is a killer! You have to be crazy!"

Rachel then said frantically, "People have died because of him! If you don't go, you'll have their blood on your hands!"

Elly wanted to snap back, but what Rachel had said made sense. She huffed and went after him. That caught Ahiru's attention. "What is she doing," and Ahiru went around the corner to see, but Elly was gone. All she saw was the back of the man's head. While Elly followed, Rachel said, "All you need to do is find out where he has been staying and then report back to us."

Elly followed the man for about six blocks before he entered a subway. Since she could not be seen, she slipped right by and into the train with him. However, there was a hard press, and she found it hard to keep an eye out for him. She stayed near the door, and others found it odd that there was a gap in the people in front of the door. However, no one seemed to be able to get closer. Of course, this began to crush Elly, but she could not let out a groan for fear of breaking concentration and just appearing before everyone. Once the train stopped she was shoved out, and she was caught in the press. She followed him up the stairs as best she could, but once she was up top, he was gone. It was a poor part of town, and there seemed to be many abandoned buildings. He could be in any one of them. She cursed under her breath and caught up with the others.

Once she got back to the apartment, Elly reported back to them, and they said that they would pass it on. With exceptions, the others were amazed that she was able to tail him for that long, and wondered why she pulled such a dangerous stunt. She then turned to Rachel and said, "Yeah, why DID I do that?"

Rachel said, "We'll talk later."

"No, we need to talk now," said Elly, "Because I told you, I am not one for this superhero stuff! I'm sorry, but I am not one for keeping secrets with my friends."

With that, she said, "I'll show you how I did it!" and she seemed to disappear right in front of them. She had not really disappeared, but to them, she had. However, Mytho said, "I can still see your emotions."

The others, however, were stunned at what they had witnessed, and she came back, saying, "Did it not ever occur to you why that Raven woman seemed to disappear when we got here? Did anyone see Rachel with us when we left that night?"

Rachel was shaking her head back and forth, but Elly said, "Look, don't you think you can trust them with the fact that you are the Raven, and Duck is really Princess Tutu?"

Nana looked in amazement at Rachel, and said, "You too are a superhero?"

Since she had done this without hesitation before the others, Mytho figured that, to keep peace, he had to say something. He then said, "You are right—there should be no secret amongst friends, because, except for Nana, we are all supers. We are the Secret Six."

Elly was now amazed by this, and she said, "Why didn't you guys clobber the bum?"

"We could not risk exposing ourselves to the public," said Rue, "Believe me, I wish I could have done something. You were the only one that could, and we thank you for at least giving us what you did. More than likely, Raven and I will be checking it out later. Thank you for what you did do."

Now Nana's jaw was on the floor. "No wonder I always feel safe around you!" she exclaimed, "How many others know about you?"

"Only a select few," said Ahiru, "And you now are one of them."

Fakir then said, "Now that you know, will you join us? You have abilities that could benefit all."

"Like I said before," said Elly, "I am not cut out for this. Please, I just got my life going again, and I don't want to chance losing it all again. I just want the normal life I always desired."

"I don't think 'normal' is an option anymore, Elly," said Mary, "That ended the day you gained your abilities."

Rachel then added, "Elly, no matter how hard you try, you cannot run from this. Fate has a way of putting you into situations where you must use your gifts. I say, if that is the case, then it is better that you do so actively before you find yourself in a situation where you are forced to, it costs someone, or you find yourself a prisoner of someone or something that could exploit you for evil and/or wrong purposes. I would think long and hard about what you are contemplating."

Elly just sat down as Rachel transformed into Raven and said, "And now it is time for those who need to get back to do so. Rue, I'll be back shortly."

With that, the school bound ones disappeared with Raven and the others wondered if what just happened was the right thing to have happened. While Rue awaited Raven, she was on the phone to the police to report what had happened that afternoon.

By this point in the evening, Johnny was down to the last handful of numbers, and he called one that seemed to have potential. "Hello?" came the reply, and he then said, "Hello, I am with the committee putting together our tenth year class reunion that is coming up soon, and it seems that Gilbert Brooks has turned up one of our missing in action, and I just wanted to see if he was there, or where he has gone so we can contact him."

A distraught voice came from the other end, "He's not here."

It was not a voice that said that they did not want to talk, but it was a voice that sounded like it had fielded questions of this nature for some time, and it did not really want to answer another, but the voice also knew it had to. The voice said, "He's been missing for about a year and a half now, and if you can find him, could you let us know?"

He disengaged from the phone call politely, and he was happy that he had gotten this lead. The next thing he had to do was get there and do some investigating himself. He wanted to ask questions, but the way that he had introduced himself would have prevented such questions as being awkward. They would have hung up, or at least turtled up had he asked too many questions. He then went on line and started to book a flight for that town to see what he could find out himself.

Later on, Raven and Princess Claire went to that part of the town with the White Knight. With his empathic abilities they might be able to pinpoint him and then take him down. As they traveled the neighborhood, however, they were able to find nothing. Yet, one thing that can work for superheroes happened here—dumb luck. They entered one abandoned building that seemed to have more people living in it than it should have, and searched some rooms. They then stumbled on one apartment that looked like it had been lived, in, but whoever had been there was already gone. There were no furnishings, and the walls were a bare white with flaking paint all around. It was a small place, looking like a one room with a bath studio apartment that had long since been neglected by the landlord, and who had not been able to unload that land. There was little to suggest, in fact, that there was anyone that had been there. The only indication was the stench form the bathroom that someone had been relieving his or herself in a bathroom that did not function any longer. Indeed, as they entered, there was a mess in the toilet, and they wondered how this person could have tolerated the smell. As Mytho started to scan around with his flashlight, he caught a glint of metal. He passed over it a couple of times to get a bead on it, approached it, and then put on a rubber glove, pulled out a plastic bag, got out some tweezers, picked up the blade, and put it into the bag. He then set that into an empty pouch. He then said, "If this was what I think it was, then what is on here would make the forensics people ecstatic! Let's get this to the police."

At this, they only wished that their own crime lab was ready to go so they could have gone to the police with more. When they arrived at the precinct handling the job, they were joyous to know that the supers were on the case, and the elated to see the blade there. "If he has been shaving off his prints," said Mytho, "this could have been the tool. He was hiding out in some of the abandoned buildings in the south district, but there is no telling where he is now."

"That's fine," said the sergeant on duty, "This is better than we could have hoped."

He then turned to one of his men and said, "Get this to forensics! Hurry, but be careful with it. If there is skin on there, we need that."

Back on campus, Ahiru was now trying to talk some sense into Elly. Yuma was curious about this, but she then said that she now knows the secret, and that she has some abilities as well that could aid things. "I told you, my life is what you see on the walls. It is no more than that. Why can't you understand that I just want a normal life?"

"I find it quite nice to do what I do," said Ahiru.

"How do you find the time for this?" asked Elly.

"You sound just like…" and she stopped, knowing that Yuma did not yet know all the truth, and then said, "…like Princess Claire when we had to coax her out of retirement. Believe me, this is not something you plan in your day. It just, well, happens. It is fulfilling."

"Yes, and it is dangerous too!" said Elly, "It's not that I am a coward, it's just that…well…it's not for me, that's all. Please stop asking!"

Ahiru then said, "I'm sorry I'm pushing. You have to do what you feel you need to, but I'll tell you what: once you have done a good deed like you did today with your gifts, you are going to find out that it will be harder and harder to avoid using them, because you will find more and more situations coming up where you can help others."

She gave Elly a big hug, and Elly said, "There is so little difference between you and Tutu: you make it so hard to be angry at you."

"Just think about it," said Ahiru, "and remember; you do have powerful friends to help take care of you."

Meanwhile, in Mary's room, Mai was amazed at the new "resident." "What is that thing?" asked Mai in amazement. Uzzura did not like that, and shouted, "Uzzura not a thing-zura!"

She then stood their pouting. Mai said, "How did you…what is…I don't…oh—this is so freaky!"

"You sound like Duck," said Nana. Uzzura then said, "Duck is special-zura. All her friends are…" and Nana scooped her up and covered her mouth, saying, "That is enough out of you!"

Nana then said, "Since you already know about Duck, let's just say that this little one came by the way of one of her adventures. Uzzura was the creation of someone with which she dealt, and we could not just let her run around."

"Is she a robot?" asked Mai, not knowing what else to call it.

"Honey," said Mary, "You are looking at the first ever fully functioning artificial intelligence, set in the body of an automaton, but she is not an automaton—she is sentient."

Uzzura began bouncing the words off her databanks, and then said, "Uzzura not a robot-zura, not a slave-zura. Uzzura is alive-zura—a person-zura."

She then started to march around the room, hitting her drum, singing about that, and Mai just sat there shaking her head. Mary then said, "Look, you've seen enough about Duck, and you know we of the Pas De Six know about her. Being that we are so close together, it's hard to hide anything from anyone. In any case, you already have seen some odd things, so this should not surprise you."

"Well, only if she takes care of herself, and behaves," said Mai, to which Uzzura stopped her song, stuck her right forefinger in her mouth, thought for a moment, and then said, "I'll take care of things-zura! I'll be a good girl, and I'll earn my keep-zura!"

Mai was now starting to see just how human this thing acted, and she surprised herself as she began to look at Uzzura as a little sister. The only thing she could figure to do was to treat her that way. She looked at Uzzura and said, "Okay, you can stay, but only if you do earn your keep, deal?"

She stuck out a hand, and Uzzura took a moment or two to realize that a deal was being made. She then smiled and stuck out her hand as they shook. "Welcome home, little sister," said Mai, as Uzzura then said, "I have a home-zura!"

6


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

That Monday morning, Luthor was sitting in his office, contemplating some of his contingency plans, when Dr. Savannah called in with a report. Luthor was quick to pick up the phone, and said, "So, how goes the testing?"

"We have some results for you, Mr. Luthor," the doctor shot back, and Luthor first had to know, "Have you seen any others snooping the area as of yet?"

"You mean competition?" the doctor asked rhetorically, "No, I have not seen anyone going around that area save for my people."

"Excellent!" exclaimed Luthor, which surprised Dr. Savannah. He would have expected Luthor to ask for the results firs, rather than beat around the bush with some trivial matters, made even more trivial by the news he had to share. Luthor then asked, "So, what have you found out?"

"You may not like this," said Dr. Savannah, "but, for the lack of a better term, the oil has to cook a bit longer."

"How much longer," said Luthor in a noncommittal voice that did not indicate any distress, and indicated more of a "let's get on with it," kind of thinking. Dr. Savannah then said, "Relatively speaking, only a short time—about another 4,000 years, and it will be all ready to go."

Silence was coming from the other end, and the doctor was unsure what to think. He then said, "It is actually good that you found out now before you sunk too much money into it…"

"I have sunk much into this," Luthor interjected, but not in anger, or even in any agitation. He then said, "When you told me about the aging process of oil, I was prepared for that answer. However, I can make back my losses."

"How are you going to do that?" asked the doctor. He was more of a scientist, and he had much to learn about business, he would have admitted. "It's simple," said Luthor, "We go ahead and prepare as if things were well. The only exception is that I take out a huge insurance policy on the project. When it fails, Lexcorp comes out with more than they started, and I come out smelling like a rose. If anyone tries to say that you botched it for me by not reporting the deal with the oil, I shall spin it and make sure your company does not suffer. Trust me; a man has to know how to cut a profit despite problems."

"Thus, what you are saying is that you are willing for all those people to go through a hardship just to line your pockets?" probed the doctor.

"Since when did you care about something like that?" probed Luthor in return.

"Very good," said Dr. Savannah, knowing that he had done far worse to people for his own goals. Once they had finished, Luthor knew that his next step was to address the board of trustees in the school. If he could win them over, then buy out the town, a simple theater would be nothing for him at that point. Yes, the Pas De Six was going to pay for its lack of vision.

Johnny was probing around the neighborhood where Gilbert Brooks grew up. It was a rural town of about 3,500 people, not to dissimilar to Kinkantown, but it was one of those towns that was controlled by a powerful church that did not truly have God's work in mind, but sadly abusing its authoritative position to control the lives of the people, and please the families that had all the money. It was not such that the church controlled, but that the families that kept the church open with their money were able to control the people through the church. It was also as such that the families around there were well aware of one another's business, were willing to talk about it with everyone except those of which they spoke, and it was unseemly to do anything that was not acceptable to these families, as preached across the pulpit. Therefore, that pastor was in the back pocket of those families, and he preached what he was told in order to keep his position. What is worse, despite their willingness to gossip, if there was a problem, no one discussed it publicly, lest they give the appearance that they were gossiping. Thus, if there was a real problem that should have been dealt with, then forget it! Places like this, sadly, were psychopath breeding grounds, in that, if someone like that was creeping around, no one would have done anything about it, and the problem would have grown worse. If there was abuse, molestation, criminal activity, there would be no solution, and there would be no telling how some people, especially the youth, would have come out of the other end of things. It was into this that Johnny went in, hoping that he could find out something. If he did, though it may cost him his payday, he would then share the information with the Secret Six. This man had to be stopped at all cost, including a paycheck.

He slipped into town, and immediately stood out like nose zit on a big date night for a fifteen year old. Everyone was conservatively dressed, groomed, and very lily white. Either these people would not know what the word "diversity" meant if it were handed to them, or they ran all those "troublemakers" out of town. Whatever the case, he was getting looks from everyone around as he was walking down the main street. He ignored it, heading into one of the local watering holes, hoping to network, and not knowing what kind of success he would have considering how things were already going. He entered the bar, which had the saloon feel to it of the Wild West, and yet still feeling modern. The bar itself was a bit off center, but it dominated the room. The reason was to allow for room for a stage and small dance floor. The tables and chairs were all wooden, giving the old west feel, along with the paintings, wagon wheel on the wall, wood paneling, and yet still had the neon signs for whatever one's favorite poison was hanging on various parts of the wall. It had the loud, blaring, country music with the redneck feel to it, loud talk, cursing, and smoke that one would figure accompanied such places. However, talk ended for a period of about ten seconds when he entered in. Obviously, everyone knew everyone that frequented the place, so anyone that entered in unknown immediately drew the attention of everyone in the place. This was made worse by the way he was dressed, and his hair. They may have gone to church, but these people obviously did not practice what they preached. Johnny was going to be careful not to ruffle feathers, because, in a place like that, even if they started the trouble, he would instantly be blamed for the trouble there.

Johnny went up to the bar, and tried to use the veteran card to gain some sympathy. He looked behind him, and saw some U.S. Army markings on the bartender's wall, and he figured that he may have an inroad. When he sat at the stool, the barkeep said, "I see the hat! Where did you serve?"

"I served with the Second Squadron, First Cavalry Regiment in the first Gulf War," responded Johnny, to which the barkeep smiled and said, "Hey, I was in a tank battalion with the Second Armored Division then!"

"Looks like we ate some of the same sand didn't we?" answered Johnny with a smile.

"Sure enough," said the keeper, "and I know you boys faced some stuff that the press didn't write about!"

"Sure did!" Johnny answered with a smile.

The keeper put out a pint of his finest brew, and said, "First one's on the house, brother! So, what brings you to this hole in the wall?"

Johnny pulled out his identification that also marked his private investigator license, and said, "Actually, I have some business here. Do you know anyone from the Brooks family? Are they still in town?"

The keeper looked around to see if anyone had heard the question, and then leaned forward, saying, "You have to be careful who you talk about in these parts, partner. They are one of the families with money, and considering their past, not much is said, nor does anyone pry into their business."

This was heading in the right direction for Johnny, because the barkeep was telling more than he realized. "Well, it's interesting you say that, because I believe that one of your own has been around our parts, and…well…let's just say that I need more information on him."

The keeper leaned in and said, "Is he in trouble?"

"Not yet," Johnny confided, "But if I can keep him out of trouble, well, that is part of what I am doing."

"Oh," exclaimed the keeper, "now that's different. You're trying to protect him?"

"Let's just say that it's from himself if it's what I expect," responded Johnny.

The keeper leaned in closer as Johnny was working on the beer, and said, "Then you _do_ know something!"

"All I need to do is confirm a few things, and then I need to go from there," whispered Johnny, "I don't seek to bring any dirt here if all is well. I just need some information."

The keeper nodded, and then stood up saying, "Yeah, but if the Thunderbolts lose next week, they won't have a good start to the season. You should be pulling for one of the West Coast teams!"

That got a cheer from some of those around, and he said, "I'll see if I can get the baseball game on the tube."

At that point, the music was coming out of the jukebox, and it seemed to set the mood, with a few dancing, others getting into it, and still others ignoring it altogether. Suddenly, it sounded like _Take Me Home, Country Roads_ was starting on the jukebox, but the singers were different, and yet familiar to Johnny. Many were getting into the music, but others were yelling, "Take that junk off!"

"What's wrong with it?" asked a woman dancing with her date to the music.

"That's that group that has the three fairy boys in it!" said another man from the corner.

"They ain't fairies, Joe," said another woman, but he retorted, "They do that fairy dance! That means they's homos!"

Another man said, "Hey, one of them is married to a girl in the group! I do believe that the other two date the other two girls."

"Don't mean nothin'" said yet another man, "Them famous city slicker do all kinds of perverted things. Who knows if they have orgies with each other, and what they do in 'em."

Johnny was getting disgusted with these people already. It was bad enough for their prejudice, but it was worse with all the perverted ways they imagined the Pas De Six would be spending their private time. It made him wonder if they harbored such desires themselves, but said this to fool others, and themselves. However, the way they were acting and talking got him to realizing that this was a place where, if someone had been a male and tried to get into that kind of dance, they would be taking their lives into their own hands. Johnny could not understand that thinking, because his own heritage had learning dance as an intricate part of their storytelling, and ballet was no different, just a bit more involved. He said nothing, but filed this away, knowing it could come up again. He was finishing his beer when a couple of men came in saying, "Hey, who's the commie driving that furrin (foreign) motorbike out here, and don't got the nerve to drive a good Harley?"

Johnny knew what trouble looked like when it would enter the room, and he also knew he wanted none of it. He placed a five on the counter and thanked his comrade, telling him, "I'll just go; I don't want trouble."

However, it was not going to be that easy. One man stood about 6' 2", and though he had a belly, that did not mean that he was not fit or strong, for he was both! He had a balding head with the jeans, cowboy boots, flannel shirt, and cowboy hat with the wad of chew. His buddy was almost as tall, similarly clad, but on the skinny-but-wiry side, with yellow and missing teeth. Johnny started to head out, nudging his cap briefly as he tried to go. However, the bigger one put his arm out, stating, "Wait just a minute, Geronimo, I'm just curious as to what you're doing in town, stranger?"

"Wetting my whistle, it looks like," said Johnny, "and just long enough for me to be moving out of town, if that's okay?"

The two looked at each other, and then back at him, "So, what's wrong with the town. You sayin' that it ain't good enough fer ya?"

"I'm sure it's just fine with good gentlemen like you," Johnny responded, hoping to leave on a cordial note.

The big one stuck his arm out again, blocking his way, saying, "Not so fast, Tonto! I want to know what you are doing in this town."

Now Johnny was becoming agitated, knowing this man wanted a scrape, which was the last thing he wanted. Johnny just said, "That's not really any of your business, now is it?"

The big one took that as a challenge, the skinny one egging him on, saying, "Hey, this redskin's got a mouth on him!"

The big one then grabbed his jacked, saying, "You'd better explain yourself boy!"

Johnny had about as much as he was going to take from the ape, and he said, "Sir, what you are doing right now is called assault. Do you realize I could put you under citizen's arrest and have the police called for what you do?"

The two men looked at each other and started to laugh. They then reached into their back pockets and produced badges. On the one hand, Johnny knew that fighting really didn't matter now, because they wanted one, they were the law, and he figured it was better to fight his way out and lay low than to have them beat the snot out of him, throw him in jail, have it happen again, and then suddenly disappear off the face of the earth. Johnny took a chance, and said, "Gentlemen, I am a private investigator and bounty hunter. I know enough about the law to know that your actions right now are not becoming of lawmen, and I will thus have your badges if I have my way."

The two men then looked stern, and some of the other men started to creep up. However, Johnny did not get this far by being stupid. Without looking behind him, he said, "I would also tell your goons back there to back off."

The keeper then said, "Leave him alone, Bobby; he's a war vet like me!"

"What war was that," asked the big one, "Custer's Last Stand?"

Some of the women said, "Knock it off you two; it was months before this place reopened after the last time you did this!"

He shouted at the women, "Hey, shut up—this is none of your business."

He then looked down at Johnny and said, "I would like to know just what, in the name of common sense, you think you're gonna do about it?"

He got his answer! Johnny shot a ridge hand into the big one's throat, and then cast him across some tables, using his mass as he lunged forward. The skinny one then tried to move in, but before he could blink, Johnny rammed his elbow into the man's gut; hammer fisted his crotch from there, and then flipped his back fist into his chin. The skinny one did not know what to grab, because it came so quick, and hurt so bad. He eventually dropped into a heap. The three goons that had moved in before now rushed Johnny, but he threw himself into them in a flying cross body attack, knocking them all down, and he quickly rolled off, raining blows on all three men hand and foot, leaving them all a bloody mess. Another man tried to come from behind with a large knife, but Johnny spun around in time, blocked the thrust, grabbed the man's wrist, and pulled the man's arm parallel to his body hard. All this was at the same moment Johnny slid forward on his heels and torqued down with his left elbow on the man's arm just as hard as the pull. The man hit the floor face first, and gathered a broken wrist, elbow, and a dislocated shoulder, along with a broken nose. Johnny then kipped up as the big man had regained both his feet and air and produced a revolver. However, before he knew it, Johnny had snatched the top of the gun, getting his flesh between the hammer and bullet, twisting the pistol to the left as he leaned back to the right. The big man had his own gun pointed at him before he knew what happened. Everyone now stood still, and Johnny said, "Like I said, I know the law, and all that you have done is without probable cause. I have one favorable witness behind the bar, and few of the ladies back there. If you want to push it, I'll see to it that you wear prison stripes until you rot! You have abused your badge, and all I am in town to do is to get information on a lunatic that has already killed two people in Fawcett City, and is fixing to leave a body trail unless he is stopped…and no fat goon redneck is going to get in my way!"

Bobby wanted to protest, but he had heard about the killings, and he really could not say much now. However, he wondered how the trail had lead out to this place. Johnny said, "Now you understand, and, if you are the lawman you claim to be, you will let me go and say nothing. However, since I don't trust you…"

He then spun the pistol around in his hand and smashed it into the man's temple as hard as he could as he brought a knee into his face. As he hit the floor in a heap, he tossed the pistol down, and said, "Anyone flinches before I get out the door to get this gun, and I shove it up your behinds and pull the trigger—got it!"

He then looked at the keep, and said, "Sorry about the mess," as he rendered a salute to his brother in arms, and left. No one dared move for five minutes, and no one dared to try and take it further, for, what good would it do?

Johnny then hopped onto his cycle and headed towards the mental institution. He decided to circle the place a few times, figure out how to get in, look at and copy the records, and then find that family to see if he could gather more information. He did not intend to stay in that town long, lest someone figure out a way to turn things against him and wreck his career and life. One thing was for sure; it was getting interesting.

Meanwhile, back in Fawcett City, where the board of trustees for the school met, there was a board meeting where an important guest was meeting with them. The chairman said, "Mr. Luthor, it is a pleasure to have you with us! To what do we owe this pleasure?"

"Well, to tell the truth, I have a big offer for you," said Luthor with a big smile, "As you know, I am a great purveyor of the arts, and I love what your school produces. To aid you in this, I would like to offer you a grant of ten million dollars."

The board began to murmur one with another, and they were actually gleeful. He knew that the trust only had about five million in it, and that he would then have essentially bought the school. He could not understand their joy save that it was a large sum for the school. They must not have realized what such a grant would mean. However the chairman said, "This is turning out to be a great day for Kinkan! We can add that to the one billion dollar grant that the Wayne Foundation gave us this morning."

It was as if someone had poured a bucket of ice water right onto his head. He stood there with wide eyes and a codfish mouth. He then said, "I did not know Mr. Wayne had enough in his fortune to do that!"

"Actually, he didn't take it from his fortune," said the chairman, "He took it from the foundation, and basically made us one of his trusts with the foundation. Thus, we can greatly reduce the tuition, and have the aid of the foundation in backing our efforts. That money we save on tuition will bring in more students with potential, and yet allow for better equipment and facilities. Furthermore, Mr. Wayne did give from his own personal fortune about fifteen million dollars in a donation. This school will last for centuries this way, and with your help, it can go further!"

Luthor was boiling now, and he knew he could not retract his offer, considering that he already stuck his neck out on it, and Lexcorp would suffer if he lost face on this now. The only difference now was that he would not be able to control an ant hill on the school despite the money given. He just set the check on the table, turned on his heel, and left without a word. As he headed out to his limo to take him to his private jet, he boiled, and tried to think of as many ways he could destroy Wayne Enterprises as he could. Yet, the biggest thing bugging him was why Wayne had so much interest in that school to begin with. He knew nothing what lay below, and yet he was acting like this. What was going on?


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

That evening, Johnny prepared for the job. He did what no one would have expected. He got a room for the night in the heart of town, and put his bike in an alley, because a hotel in the heart of town would be the last place they would have looked for him. Despite being in the right, he was not sure if they would listen to that barkeep at all, so he was not going to take any chances. However, a transformation was taking place. Johnny was melting away as he started to put on the racing slicks, and the Magpie began to emerge. He acted like he and the Magpie were two different entities to throw people off, and to keep people from finding him and killing him for what he had done. It was better that way. Once he was changed, he went out the window that overlooked the alley and scaled his way down. Once mounted, he brought the bike to life, went to the other end of the alley, and went to the institution the back way. He was going to get the information that he wanted, and no bunch of redneck lug nuts were going to stop him.

He pulled the bike up to the institute, and then put it into a tree line that overlooked the area. It was an old west military instillation that had been turned into the state hospital. It had all kinds of buildings in old red brick, several acres, and fenced off with a low, old red brick wall all the way around the property. There was a state historical marker there in a pyramid, stating what had been there, and any events that had taken place. Yet, there was one building to the center that had the Magpie's interest. That was where the asylum was, and that was the place that would tell him what he wanted to know. After hiding the bike, he leapt the fence and moved in the cover of darkness to the middle building. Security was not tight, because this was not a prison or a bank. This was a hospital. Even though there were insane people there, the location of the building, and the nature of wanting to cure people and not imprison them, getting in and out would be easy. There were a couple of security guards, but they were nothing more than rent-a-cops. He slipped past them into the lobby, and hit the ground. Fortunately, the nurse on duty was not looking at the door when he entered. It was well lit, so he had to move quickly. It was horseshoe in shape with the double six file cabinets on the back, phone board, computer, and several clip boards. There was only one door, and that was where the Magpie headed. He needed to get the keys, find out where the records were, and then get his information. He crawled around, and then stopped when there was a mild alarm. Another nurse came to the opposite side of the reception desk and told her that one of the more disturbed patients was close to a fit, and they had to get a sedative to him fast. Magpie crawled back fast as she jumped up and responded to the need. Now he was alone. There were security cameras everywhere, yet, oddly enough, there was none on reception because, for some reason, being so close to the guards, no one figured that it was needed. Once they were gone, he jumped over and started to look quickly. He first found the room with the records, but then he also noted that the computer had a desktop icon that led to those same records. Things could not have been better for him! He remembered the screen he was on, and then clicked on it. Yet, now it asked for a password. Now, it went from great to rotten. It returned to great when he noticed several words written on the desk calendar on the desk. He looked at the number of words, and it corresponded with the number of days that had been scratched out. "Too easy," he thought, realizing that, again, this was not a prison, and certain things would not be as tight. He punched in the word, looked up the name, and found several pages there. He jotted down the local address where he had lived, and then brought the window down. He then found their e-mail, clicked on it, put in his own address, attached the file, sent it, then erased his address off the directory and closed the records window. He then brought up the other window that had been there before and made his way out. There would be one more stop.

He took off down the road, and headed to the house where he had lived, hoping this man's parents were still there. However, as he approached the house, three police cars emerged, seeing the bike screaming down the road where they figured he would be heading. "Wow!" thought Magpie, "They brought out the whole force for me!"

He gunned up the motor knowing two things: there was no way on earth they were going to catch that bike, because it was just as fast as any Japanese racing bike, and there were spots their cars could not go. He knew they knew better than to call in the state police on this, because he could easily embarrass them when he showed the case he was working on. It would be certain that the state police would be made aware of the events in Fawcett in case he decided to cross state lines, and they needed to recognize the killer. With that, he gunned up his engine and took off like he had entered warp speed. The cops floored it, the engines being, essentially, NASCAR engines. However, not even that would be enough. They were giving it all they had, but he was cutting around corners, and going into places the cars could not. They tried to use the knowledge of the town, but it was not like Magpie had not been in situations like this before. He cut up on alley, went halfway down another, and then doubled back down the other. They had blocked off the other, and stopped long enough to see them dismount and head down the alley to find nothing. At that moment, Magpie gunned it and tore back the way he came. By the time the cops heard him roar by and head back to their cars, he was out of sight. They then figured that there was no catching him now, for he would be long gone.

About an hour later, he pulled up at the Brooks residence, and waited for the family to head for bed. It was one of the more ritzy places in town, and thus, this must have been one of the controlling families. It was more than just being the outsider—it was an outsider bringing attention to the town, causing outsiders to come in and destroy their "paradise." Sadly, no matter what happened, if their son was the Saturday Night Killer, it was over for this hole in the wall. Once the lights were all out, he went to the kitchen door, and then found it unlocked. He did not think towns like that existed anymore, but there it was! He slipped in, pulled out his flashlight, and headed into the living room. He found family pictures that covered all the prominent periods in their lives. However, he spotted one photo that showed what looked like an eight year old boy in dance tights that looked vaguely like his target. He pulled out his miniature digital camera, photographed that, and then crept upstairs. Once there, he examined some rooms, and came across what looked like a study. When he went in, there were stacks of vinyl records, covering many kinds of the classics—including ballets! He left there, and then found a room that had all the fixtures covered with white sheets. This had to be Gilbert's room. He started looking in the dressers, but they were empty. He then went into the closet, and that too was empty. As he was about to walk out, the floor creaked, and he stepped back off. He waited to be sure no one heard him, and then put the light on it. It was a trap door. Quickly, he had it off, and found the mother lode!

Considering how empty things were, it was obvious the people here had no clue this was there, and therefore, whatever was in there would tell him much about his target. As he sifted through, he was shocked by the number of pornographic magazines he saw, as well as lingerie magazines, and women's fashion magazines. They were all well worn, and they looked like many of them had been retrieved from the trash, alleys, gutters, and whatnot. Below that, he found a photo album/scrapbook. When he opened it, he found photographs of Gilbert at various stages of childhood, and all of them were of him in dance clothes! He also found on the backs of the photos different messages. At first, they were joyous over successes on stage, but one then said, "Age eight: beat up after show."

He looked at another one, and it said, "Age ten: gang raped, called queer boy and dirty."

He wondered why this was happening, considering his family had money, and could have sent him someplace like Kinkan, Los Angeles, San Francisco, or any other places that would have had private schools to foster his dance skills. It was apparent that he was still going to public schools amongst the prejudice bigots of that town, and it must have been living hell, especially if what he heard at the bar was hammered into him from childhood. Then he came across a newspaper article that made him want to cry. It read, "Local boy attacked by outsiders for being a dancer."

"Outsiders my eye!" thought Magpie, "It was the locals, and they were covering for it."

He went on to read how the boy, who was to remain anonymous—obviously—was in the hospital for two weeks. The police, ("Such as they are," thought Magpie,) were investigating, but they said that outsiders were hard to trace. They were not getting the state police to cooperate in the investigation, ("Yeah, right!") so there was no way to find out how it happened. He knew that the Fawcett City district attorney would love to have these things once it went to trial, so he decided to take the album. Then it dawned on him: check the article's date, and then check the date on the magazines. The magazines had dates that would be set about six months after the incident, so he figured that this started not long after. He took about seven of the magazines, and made sure it was enough of the assortment that he needed to help form a psychological profile beyond what he expected to find once he got home.

Once he got back to town, things had quieted somewhat, but he took no chances. He went in a back way, parked his bike again, scaled the wall, went in, and changed clothes again. He then began to set his finds into his bag, and one fell open. From what he saw, he had to admire his taste in women. However, as he was putting it back, he noticed that some of them had been drawn on. He collected the magazines, but they were loaded with graffiti that stated that it was all dirty, and that he hated it. That, he could not understand. He then decided to look in the fashion magazine, and found an ad for dance clothes. He then started to see some kind of a diagram drawn on it, with the heading, "Why dancers are dirty, and what to do about them."

He pointed out various spots on the body, how they moved, and what different dance moves would cause the gyrations that he considered dirty. Because he did have a knowledge of the form he hated, Johnny had to admit that, if one had a perverted mind, as Gilbert seemed to, then it would make sense for him to state these things. Furthermore, the way he said to deal with them fit his _modus operandi_ perfectly. Take the feet, they cannot dance. Disembowel them, and you get out the dirty inside them. Mar the face, and they would not be pretty enough to dance anymore, and they would be cured. "Talk about curing the disease by killing the patient!" said Johnny, as he stuffed this back into his bag. He had to share this with the Secret Six as soon as he got back, because there would be no way in a million years that either they—or Fawcett's finest—could have figure any on this out. Once this was done, he left town, and headed to the train depot to get his bike shipped back, and then took a bus to the airport. He shipped the information with the bike, lest security try to take it away at the airport.

That Monday, when classes started again, everyone was saddened to hear that yet another dancer had died. Apparently, when they went to find their man, he had already moved, and found a different victim. This one was a 19 year old in the dance school where the company met. She was a new girl, and had had only one session, so Rue had not had the chance to meet her. Still, she would have been one of her students, which angered her more and just put steel into her resolve to stop the goon. The DNA report came back showing, not a criminal past, but one of a man that had been institutionalized out west—one Gilbert Brooks. However, when they tried to get more information, the town blocked every effort with every legal trick they had. That Brooks was the killer was not to be doubted. However, they needed more than just that to bring the case to trial. They did have probable cause, and that was enough to put a warrant out for the man. It was a start at least.

However, there were some interesting happenings at the school. After classes ended that day, a limousine pulled up to the gate, where the Lexcorp security guards dutifully stopped the car. They questioned the driver as to whether or not he had permission to be there, and then demanded paper proof. Yet, at that moment, Mr. Johansson came out and told them to let the limo in. As it entered, Ahiru, Billy, Mary, Rachel, Mai, Yuma, Nana, and Elly walked up to see Bruce Wayne and the rest of the Pas De Six exit the car. The security came over, curious as to why they had been called off. "Excuse me," said the one in charge, "but did you give them permission to be here?"

"Well of course I did!" snapped the headmaster, "He is here because the board of trustees wanted to relay some information."

Bruce cut in here and said, "The first thing is that you are all fired! New security is coming."

"No we are not," said the head man, "because that one has to come from Mr. Luthor himself."

Bruce just shook his head, and said, "Security, see these men off."

Out of the blue flew in three teenage girls—Supergirl, one that looked like Martian Manhunter's daughter, and Wonder Girl. While that was happening, Robin, Red Devil, and Blue Beetle were pouncing on their targets. Then, what looked like a white insect flew in and blasted a guard that had pulled a gun with an energy beam and knocked him straight onto his butt. "Atom!" exclaimed Bruce, "Glad to see you come!"

"I wouldn't miss it, Mr. Wayne!" Atom answered. In short order the guards were being subdued and removed off campus. However three had managed to break away, and were trying to get a bead on the group, especially Bruce Wayne. Suddenly, the guns flew from their hands, and something they could not see pushed them to the ground. The commotion caught the attention of Blue Beetle, and his armor formed a multi-tazer rack, and he blasted them all before they could fully gain their feet. Rachel wondered what had happened, but she saw Elly gone, and sensed her presence as did Miss Manhunter. In fact, Miss Manhunter, because she was telepathic, talked right into Elly's head, saying, "That's a nice trick, but it needs work."

Elly wheeled around to find Miss Manhunter right behind her, fully able to see her. "You have to work on being invisible to my kind as well, because I can do what you can do. Maybe I can show you."

"Hey, it was just because my friends were in trouble," said Elly, "I am not a superhero!"

"Suuuuuuuuuuuure you're not!" said Manhunter knowingly.

As the heroes were "escorting" the Lexcorp people off the campus, Mr. Johansson looked at the kids, and said, "This is the new security for now: the Teen Titans."

The Secret Six and Rachel all got knowing looks on their faces, and the headmaster continued, "They will be hidden amongst the student population, so you will not know who they are. However, they will always be there if there is trouble, so welcome them!"

At this, Bruce said he wanted to meet with the Pas De Six over some business matters at the theatre. However, that was the cue for the Titans to go there themselves as the six got in the car. However, Rachel, who had found a place to discreetly transform into the Raven, came up to Elly and said, "Since you know all of the truth, you need to be aware of things."

Elly was becoming frustrated. She was trying to avoid this world, but she felt like she was trying to move through quicksand: the more she fought it, the deeper she went. She just could not stand it.

Raven appeared with Elly as the others were arriving. Since all the work was internal now, no one outside was privy to the conversation. Billy then said, "Holy Moley! Isn't this overkill?"

"With Luthor involved in things," responded Bruce, "nothing is overkill."

It was then that Wonder Girl pointed out Elly and said, "Hey, who are you?"

Miss Manhunter slipped up to Elly and said, "Not a superhero, eh?"

Elly just sighed and rolled her eyes. Robin then said, "You guys will be the only ones who know who we are in the school, so if there is a problem, we will be right there if you cannot react in time."

Rue then said, "However, they have shut down Fawcett City Ballet until further notice, and since the theater is done enough to live in, the three of us are moving in, and teaching part time at the school!"

Mary's eyes went wide, and she screamed, "YYYYYYYYYYYYES!" and jumped into Fakir's arms. She then remembered herself and got down all red-faced as everyone laughed a friendly laugh over the display. "At least we can be together, and work on the Saturday Night Killer case."

"Hey, we heard about that," said Supergirl, "and we will do what we can to help."

Atom chimed in and said, "I'll be in the city, and I will be keeping an eye on things."

Elly then had to know. "How about all these crazy rules?" she asked.

"I've been talking to Mr. Johansson," responded Bruce, "and he is going to loosen a few things. There will still be a curfew, but there will be dances again, and you can go on the town. Constable Brock said his whole force is dedicated to your safety. However, no one leaves alone—always in two or more, and normal on-campus rules will be enforced."

All those that were students let out a cheer, and they could not wait to share the news. Then Billy said, "Now we can have more time to prepare for the variety show! We have three weeks—let's make it happen."

As this was going on, Luthor received a call from the expelled guards, and Luthor was growing in anger more and more. When he heard what was replacing them, he hit the roof! He then gave orders for them to go to plan "B." If enough happened, then he may be able to make a case against Wayne to the trustees. That way, he could get back in. No one was going to take away a payday!

5


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Johnny opened the file that he sent to himself and started pouring over the information. Technically, what he had done was very illegal. However, he was not a cop, this would probably be stuff that would be subpoenaed if it got to court anyway, and if he had been a cop, there was no way that this would have surfaced right away. It would be in interstate thing to get these records, and despite a court order, that town would have thrown up so much red tape to protect the so-called reputation of the Brooks family that it would have been at least months, if not longer, before this information could have been gained. In the meantime, how many more dancers would have been killed? Doing the things may have been outside the "rulebook," but this was the main reason why he did not become a cop. Sometimes, he felt that there was just too much on the side of the bad guys.

He opened the file, and it turned out that he had been hospitalized at age 15 for becoming a danger to himself. Although he kept his room immaculate, he had eventually become a recluse after the beating and gang rape. He became a hermit in his own room, and his parents just let it go. However, he snuck outside late at night, although for what reason was not known. "Yeah," thought Johnny, "If they only knew why!"

He began to display the behaviors of someone who suffered from a disorder the Japanese had named when it started to become a prominent problem there—Hikikomori's Disease. The sufferer normally spends more than six months in reclusion because they just cannot adjust to society, and feel they just cannot make it. Instead of killing one's self, one of these people will just sit in their room and do nothing until they are helped or die. Many of them suffer from schizoid paranoia, which was the case of Gilbert Brooks. When he started to show violent behavior, he was discreetly put away. He was finally released when he was 26, and seemed to be doing well. "Doing well, eh?" thought Johnny, "Some of those magazines were dated about that time. He only disguised it. He had been planning this for some time, looking for the right time."

Finally, in the file, he found the periods of psychoanalysis that he had gone through, and basically found Gilbert's _Mein__Kamph_. It was during that time he spelled out how he felt about dancers. He had already seen the advert that showed how he wanted to kill the dancers, and he knew that he still had this in him. During that time, he spelt out how dirty he had been about being a dancer, and how those boys taught him how dirty he was. He also knew that other dancers had to be this way, and they had to be stopped, lest more attacks happen. However, whenever he saw dancers, it reminded him of how dirty he had been, and that gave him the concept of eliminating the feelings he had had by eliminating the source of it—dancers. It was a waste of a good dancer, but here it was. He had been seeing counsel after his release, and it seemed that he had gotten over this mindset—at least outwardly. Then the report showed that he disappeared about seven months prior. He began to think about dates and times, and then realized that it coincided with the emergence of the Pas De Six! "Oh great!" thought Johnny, "He saw those kids and it must have set him off!"

What surprised him was the fact that he had gone to Fawcett and not to Kinkantown. The only thing he figured was that there were more dancers available in Fawcett, and it was easier to hide in a big city rather than a small town. He at least had enough sense to remember the life that small town he came from gave to him. He just hoped that he kept to Fawcett, because he did now fear for those kids, especially since three of the act lived there! He knew all he needed to know, and he decided to feed this to Oracle.

When he got on line with Oracle, he let her know that he was able to gather enough information to know it was this Gilbert Brooks behind the killings. He shot her the file, the article, the image of the magazine that had the marred dancer ad, and told her that the Secret Six needed desperately to know this information. "What about Fawcett Police?"

"We're going to have to wait until he is caught before we give them all this," said Johnny, "Because of the nature of the place where I got it, and the reluctance of the locals to tell me anything, I had to go a touch outside the law to get this. At least we can feed the name to them, and the fact that he had been institutionalized. That way, the legal wheels can get turning to get this information for themselves. However, I am sure that you can send the information in the news clip and the picture of the ad I sent you. That would give enough probable cause for them to act."

"Good work," said Oracle, "I'll send this to them right away. What are you going to do?"

"I'm going Hikikomori hunting," he said, thanked her, and hung up.

At the school, the atmosphere was excited, and almost festive. The first dance was planned, and the Pas De Six and Co. began to work on their act for the variety show. They were able to put together a great opening number depicting the streets of Paris, Rue having spent some time picking Nana's brain about that. In fact, Nana became valuable to this phase of things, because she could really help to put that Parisian flavor to things. They wanted it as authentic as possible. Mr. Katt was on hand watching, and giving his input where he felt he should, but he wanted to leave it to Rue, because this was more the kids' thing, and he did not want to interfere with Rue learning how to do this should something ever happen to him. He was the most helpful when it came time for the double pas de deux done to music from _An American in Paris._ This was where Rue, Mytho, Billy, and Ahiru had the chance to shine. The music was powerful and beautiful, and Ahiru really began to get lost in it. It was a romantic number, and because of their relationships, they were able to make it so convincing, that any couple watching began to cinch closer to each other. Mr. Katt thought to himself that, if this was their reactions in rehearsals, this had the potential to be the act of the night.

Another thing he liked was the fact that there was enough there that they did not need to worry about an encore. It would be like any of the shows they had done on tour with some more people to help. Then it came time for the danse a l'apache. Mary and Fakir were going to do this, and everyone was amazed at how rough the dance looked. However, Nana said that they were not convincing enough. "You may actually have to slap her a couple of times to send this out right," said Nana.

Fakir was a tough man, but he was not going to smack a girl, much less his beau. "Then you are going to have to compensate somewhere," said Nana in return. Mr. Katt then said, "Then what you might need to do is put more into the movements and facial expression."

"Another thing to note is the nature of the relationship," said Nana, "They are both city people from the rough part of town, and, oddly enough, they love each other. However, he is supposed to be one of those 'you do as I say, I'm the man' types, and she is supposed to be defiant, but a bit submissive, because she loves her man tough."

They looked at each other, and tried to find some way of doing this in a convincing fashion. They knew that it would take some work.

Then it came time for the Can-Can. Nana jumped in on this one, and she explained that, though by today's standards, what they would be doing would be considered tame. However, at that time, a lady showing off her legs, even when wearing pantaloons underneath, was very risqué. Therefore, despite the fact that they would be wearing outfits like that, they would have to keep that in mind. They had to dance with energy, but they had to sell it as being sexy, as if they were stripping in front of them. It was then that all the girls learned that there was more to the dance than just a kick line. There were cartwheels, flips, spins, and other group activity that made the dance what it was. It was going to take all their ballet ability, as well as athletic prowess, to get them through it. Ahiru and Yuma both knew that they were going to have to spend a bit extra time at the gym getting their endurance up, while Nana, Rue, and Mai seemed to be right into it. Overall, they knew it was going to be a spectacular act. While all that was going on, Elly was there, taking pictures, and getting and idea for the set, as well as having things that she could use for artwork later.

In addition for this, they were still working on the Fantasia Live for the fall festival that was to follow about a week later. The AP kids were not in this, because, again, their grade came another way, so that left Billy open for some theatrical work, and he loved the fact there was far less pressure than the year before the way it was. In all this, the Teen Titans were spread amongst the different disciplines. Tim Drake (Robin) and Cassie Sandsmark (Wonder Girl,) were in the ballet class, Jamie Reys and Rose Worth entered the theater courses with Megan Morse, (Blue Beetle, Ravager, and Miss Manhunter respectively.) However, Eddie Bloomberg (Red Devil,) opted out of the school, and just contented himself with patrolling, considering that his physical state made it impossible for him to associate with the student population.

Later on that day, the team was in the cave with Rachel, Miss Manhunter, and Elly, (since she knew everything by this point.) The team was trying to get Fakir, Rue, and Mytho settled into their new digs, while Rachel and Megan were trying to deal with Elly. "Look" she said, "You could help us on the weekends at least…once you get your homework done."

"Sure," said Megan, "Because you and cannot be seen, there is no way they could get us for being out, and we can report trouble."

Rachel then added, "Plus, we can teach you how to hone your telepathic skills so that you can talk right into the enemy's head and that way, they cannot even get a bead on you. You might as well be a ghost at that point."

Elly was beginning to get fed up with the whole superhero thing, and she said, "Look, get this straight: I…don't…want…that!"

Rachel said, "What is your problem?"

"Don't you understand," snapped Elly, "I just got back some normality in my life, which has been partially robbed from me just by meeting you! Now you want to upset the fruit cart for me? No thank you!"

Megan thought for a moment, and then Elly was looking at herself all of a sudden, and repeated back everything she had just said, even in her voice. Suddenly it was Megan again, and she said, "Don't you see how you look when you say that? I don't even believe that!"

Elly was about to storm out, when Rachel said, "I think there is something else, something deeper. You are scared of something."

"Like, yeah I am!" responded Elly, "Death normally puts a damper on the day."

"It's something else," said Rachel, "I think your ability to cloud minds to become invisible is rooted in a deep wish not to be seen at all. Why are you so insecure about yourself? Why do you want to be so isolated?"

She stopped, and hung her head. Megan said, "That is so Ausberger's."

"No," said Elly, "It's been…" but she could not finish.

Rachel decided to finish, and say, "…because you spent two years in isolation, and it is hard for you to associate with the outside world because of it. You were forced to be Hikikomori for two years, and when that happens, then dealing with the outside becomes harder and harder. Elly, you don't have to be ashamed if you feel you can't associate with the outside. Believe me; I know that isolation more than anyone else. I was an introvert for some time, and I still am, kind of. Yet, since I met this crew, they have helped me face the world. Being what I am, helping people has helped to bring me out. Thanks to Tutu, I feel a part of things again. Could you at least try?"

Elly was cornered. All of that was true, and she could not get away from it. She finally conceded, and said, "Okay, the voice throwing bit, but nothing else."

"At least one patrol?" asked Megan, trying to be all girl-pal with her. Elly just rolled her eyes, and said, "You are just as bad as some of the acquaintances I had before I came here. All right, all right, I'll do one patrol!"

Megan was all happy and hugged her. She was about to kiss her cheek, and Elly said, "That would be a bad idea."

Megan collected herself and they went into the amphitheater to practice the trick.

After the older three had settled in, they went into the amphitheater and saw the three girls trying to teach Elly the mind trick. Suddenly, the six of them suddenly heard in their heads, "Hi gang: I learned a new trick today!"

"See, it's that easy!" said Megan all happy. Elly just sighed, hoping that, when it came time to do the superhero thing, she would have more maturity than that. However, she had to remind herself that she was a teen like her. That was when they heard the signal in back.

Soon, everyone was in the secret area. It was a hailing signal, and Billy went over and flipped on the systems. Suddenly, the whole place filled with light, and they saw how elaborate that Oracle had made everything. It was the perfect place for six teenage supers to do their business, designed for business as much as it was for having a good time. There was the multi-screen system, the meeting table, training room for ballet, fighting, and fitness the same as the one in New York, a ready room to practice their hero skills, soda bar, kicking stereo system, and the best gaming system that could ever be produced. Billy then hit the respond button, and Oracle came up on the screen. "What's up Barb?" asked Billy.

"I just received a communication from one Magpie," responded Oracle, "He has a file on the man you guys have been chasing. I'm going to send it now."

"Ready to receive," said Billy. Then Oracle said, "Guys, you have a real sickie there!"

"Don't we know it!" said Fakir, but Oracle then said, "You don't know the half!"

At that, the file opened up, and each screen took on a different part of the file so they could see everything. Oracle then said, "I'll leave it to you to go from there. If you need more help, Bruce said to give him a call."

She hung up, and they all began to go over the information. They could not believe it, and it made them even sadder to see that this had been a dancer who grew up in the wrong place at the wrong time. "He could have been alumni here if he had met the right people," said Elly, "Too bad: it's such a waste of a handsome man."

"The trick is to try to find out where he's hiding," said Billy.

Mytho then said, "I was able to get back with the police in Fawcett, and that razor yielded skin, but there was no DNA in any criminal files that would show who it was."

"I don't know who this Magpie is, but he did us a big favor," said Fakir, "Let's tell the police, and then they can do a match through this route. If it does, at the very least, we have the way to narrow down his hiding spots."

As they transferred the information, they felt more confident that they could stop this man before he struck again.

That Saturday, Elly and Megan prepared for patrol. Elly did not have an elaborate uniform, nor did she desire one. In fact, because of what she was able to do, she really did not need one. However, she would have to figure out something, considering that, if she had to be seen, she did not want to be recognized. She finally decided on a long, black skirt with her customary boots, a black bandana to cover her face, and a black hoodie. When Megan first saw her, she said, "Girl, you look more like you're getting ready to do graffiti art than you are to do a patrol."

"I don't go for the fancy deal you wear," said Elly, "Besides; call it the artist in me!"

They both went out, and they rendered themselves invisible as they passed the front desk. They then started walk the campus. They walked for about an hour and a half, and there was nothing going on. Elly was becoming bored with the whole thing, wondering why she let them talk her into this. Miss Manhunter then said to Elly telepathically, "One more half hour and Red Devil will take over."

"Thank goodness," said Elly, "My feet are killing me."

Just as she said that, she heard a twig crack. "Okay, we're not alone now," said Elly, and she headed towards the sound, knowing that she would not be seen. It was then that she saw three men moving in to one of the classroom buildings, and she shot out to Megan, "We have bogies!"

"What are they doing?" asked Megan as she moved in.

"They have a can of gasoline, if that means anything to you," said Elly.

"Keep them busy until I get there," said Megan, and that was that. Elly thought, "Great, what do I do now?"

She saw the man with the gasoline open the cap, and she did what she had been taught, saying, "You three better knock it off!"

"Who said that," said the man, looking all around. He knew that there were no females in this trio, so that had to mean trouble. "Come out, you," he said, not really sure what he could do with this voice that seemed to echo in his head. "What's wrong?" asked Elly, "Are you boys not warm enough that you have to burn a building?"  
"WHO IS THAT!" he shouted, and Elly said, "I am…uh…" and then she remembered who it was Rachel reminded her of, and she said, "The Shadow."

The three men were spinning all around, looking for the source of the voice, but there was no way to pinpoint it. Elly then put her foot into the back of one of them and knocked him down. The other two turned around to strike, but Elly was long gone. The man with the gas went to the building, but Elly snatched the can and poured it on him. For the brief moment she was visible to do this, the other two tried to jump her. But just as quick, she seemed to vanish, and they dove into the spot where she had once stood, bonking their heads together. "Nice try, fellas," she mocked, "but you cannot catch a ghost. Oh, I would not advise a lighter now."

They all screamed and started to run…right into Miss Manhunter. Three quick blows and they were all out like lights.

As the police were hauling them off, the headmaster was thanking Miss Manhunter profusely for her help, and he was grateful for having gone with Wayne's suggestion. Of course, Johansson had no clue about Elly, but there was no need for him to know. Brock said, "Once we get done interrogating them, we'll let you know who they are."

After everyone broke up, Red Devil came to take the patrol, and the other two returned to the dorm. "Well, what did you think?"

"You know, it almost seemed fun!" said Elly, "They were so helpless. They could do nothing."

"Well, know that it isn't always fun and games," said Megan, "But let me ask you this: how do you feel about what you did?"

Elly thought for a moment, and said, "Well, considering what they tried, people could have been hurt. We stopped that. Kind of feels good!"

"Then always remember that, no matter how hard it gets," responded Megan, "just remember that good feeling, and you can get through. It makes this worth it."

"I guess," said Elly.

"You're sounding like a super already!" teased Megan.

"Please, I'm just Elly," Elly said in response, to which Megan said, "Keep that attitude, and it will keep you from getting a swelled head."

"Believe me," said Elly, "Being on your back for two years is very humbling."

"Then know it just gets better from here," said Megan, and they went home, slipping past the front desk again, knowing that something great had just begun.

6


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Before they were hauled off, one of the men reached into his pocket, pressed a button, and then threw it on the ground. When they reached the station, all but one was put in the holding tank, and the last was taken to be interrogated. However, just before the questioning could begin, a man in a suit came in and said that they were those men's lawyer, and that they were going to answer no questions. In fact, they were all to be released. When Brock protested, he was presented with the paperwork, showing that they had made bail. There was nothing Brock could do, so they were all released into that man's custody, though Brock was confused on just how it was that this could have happened so quickly. What they did not know was that the button the one man pressed was actually a distress signal that went straight to Lex Luthor's apartment and office. Once he saw the alarm, he swept into action. He did not like the fact that he had been awoken from his sleep, but considering what was at risk, he could not afford for the police to find out that those men were some of the Lexcorp security people. There were more around, but he would have to wait a few days for the heat to blow over, and then get those men out, and prevent any kind of trial by burying that underneath a pile of red tape and technicalities. He would find a way to get their attention. However, he had to know how it was they had been beaten.

The next day, after classes, the Secret Six, Elly, and the Titans met in the Raven's Nest to go over the new information, and the attempted arson from the night before. Tim walked around, thoroughly impressed with what he saw. "Man, you've got space for one wicked trophy room!" exclaimed Tim, "or you could have one killer rave in here!"

"Is this all of your team?" asked Ahiru.

Rachel then said, "Technically, I am one of the Titans. There are also a few others, but they have us spread out."

Linda (Supergirl) then said, "Atom said that he was seeing about Starfire and Beast Boy."

"They would stand out, wouldn't they," asked Rose.

"They're too old for that now anyway," said Tim.

As if their names summoned them, a green hawk managed to enter the lair, and Fakir said, "Hey, shoo that thing out!"

As if an answer, it landed, but changed form to a green skinned college age kid with pointy ears. He was followed by a beautiful auburn haired woman, dressed in purple, scantily clad, with orange skin and eyes that had a greenish glow. "Shoo me out? I just got here!" said the green skinned one. Rachel rolled her eyes and said, "You haven't changed much, have you?"

"Change?" he exclaimed, "Don't I do that enough? Besides, if I acted different, how would anyone recognize me?"

Rachel rolled her eyes and said sarcastically, "Yes, how could we ever know you?"

"Greetings, friends!" said the orange one.

"Kory!" exclaimed Tim, "Glad you could make it."

"So, where is this 'Secret Six,'" asked Kory (Starfire.)

The team raised their hands, and she asked, "Why, you look so ordinary! You must really be able to move about without being seen!"

Elly could not believe how naïve this new one was, and she just said, "Invisibility is my trick…sort of. They're not in their costumes."

"Oh," said Kory, "Well, I am sure I shall see that in time!"

Garfield (Beast Boy) said, "Well, anyway, what are we working on?"

Fakir stepped in at this point and said, "We have two cases here of interest. We have a serial killer in Fawcett City who has now claimed three victims—all dancers—and we had an attempted…well…what could best be described as a terrorist attack."

"What do we know about either one?" asked Cassie.

Mytho stepped in and said, "We received something from Oracle a few days ago, and it seems we have a real…I believe you Americans say, 'nut burger,' on our hands."

"Bruce mentioned something about Lex Luthor having some interest in this land," said Tim, "He wanted to get Sups to check out the land, but he was too busy. We need someone to tend to this."

In a blink, Rachel was already Raven, and she said, "Leave that one to me. I'll be back."

With that, she vanished to go search the Thinking woods. Red Devil then said, "Hey, why don't we split into two forces and search around? Maybe we can get more done?"

"That sounds good," said Billy, "Okay, Baby Duck, you take Starfire, Raven, Fakir, and I'll go with you as well. I think that would be enough on the serial killer's case. The rest, get together and find out what is so interesting about the land, and see if you can find out anything else connected to what happened last night. Elly, I know how you feel about all this. What do you want to do?"

Elly thought for a moment, and she said, "I'll go with Duck. For some reason, I think it would be good that way."

As they were formulating that, Raven returned, and she was covered in a black liquid head to toe. She was not happy. Kory was worried, and she said, "Oh dear, what has happened to you?"

"I went too deep!" she said, "I didn't see anything out of the ordinary on the surface, so I went underground. This, unfortunately, is what I found. I feel like the bottom of a movie theater seat after a double feature!"

The petroleum smell permeated now, and Fakir then said, "So, you found some crude oil. How much did you find?"

"My senses tell me that the field is quite extensive, going for miles," said Raven, after which she was cut off by Mary, who said, "…which, no doubt, go under the school, the town, and this theater!"

"That would answer the question about interest," said Rue, "and I'll lay you down 100,000 yen that those men last night worked for Luthor."

At this, Tim and Mytho were gathering samples of her saturated clothes, after which Raven said, "Please tell me there is a shower in here!"

Rue smiled and said, "Come with me—we'll help you with that."

While the two teams were getting together and talking about some game plans, Tim and Fakir were analyzing the oil sample, and they found that it was indeed crude, but crude that had not yet finished aging properly for use. Fakir then said, "Well, if that's the case, then why would Luthor still be interested in this? It's obvious why he was to begin with, but why now? I'm sure he has to know already."

"I'd give you even odds that he wants to do his usual," answered Tim, "He wants to still obtain the land, drill, pretend to find out at that instant, and then claim a tax shelter and maybe some kind of insurance claim on the land. In either case, he could cut a profit."

"That makes no sense," said Fakir, "Why would he destroy a town, our school, and this theater for that?"

"The more he can claim, the less for scruples he will have, guaranteed," assured Tim. At that, Tim asked, "Elly, are you around?"

"I've been standing here for about four minutes?" she said, causing them to nearly crawl out of their skins.

"Sorry," said Elly, "Sometimes I don't know I'm doing it. Anyway, what do you want to know?"

"Duck has told me you saw some of those men in the woods testing and probing," said Tim, "What did you see exactly?"

"Well, I saw them probing," Elly said, "and I saw the name of the company on the paperwork, but it was not Lexcorp."

"Did you see that name?" asked Fakir.

"Well, the company name had the word 'Savannah' in it," said Elly. That caught Billy's attention, and he said, "Tell me, did one of them look fairly old?"

"Yes, he did," Elly responded, "He had Coke bottle glasses in an owl-eye trim, bald head, Roman nose, fairly short…"

"Dr. Savannah!" responded Billy, "I should have figured he might get involved if this was close to his operations!"

"You know him?" asked Fakir.

"I know him better than I would like," spat Billy, "I have had to tangle with him a few times. Yet, like Luthor, it's hard to peg him down to any crimes. Thus he ends up an untouchable more often than not. I've been chasing him ever since my friend was killed a few years back. One of these days, I'm going to nail him!"

"Don't worry, Billy," said Tim, "He's not Luthor. One of these days, he'll slip up!"

While this was going on, Dr. Savannah sat in his office, awaiting the meeting of an inventor who was desperate. He was told that he had run onto some hard times, and he needed help with a job. Normally, Savannah would have ignored this request. However, this time, something told him to hear out the man, and what he had to say. He was ushered into the office, and there he saw a very distraught old man, looking like a thin Ben Franklin, and a touch frailer. "So, Mr. Drosselmyer is it?" said Savannah looking at some stuff on his desk and not even looking up, "Please, take a seat."

When the nervous old man did, he said, "So, how can I help you?"

"Actually, it should be, 'How can I help you!'" said Otto in return.

"Are you a scientist?" asked Savannah, now looking up, admiring such cheek.

"I am an inventor," responded Otto.

"It says here that your store was raided when they found much in the way of stolen goods."

"Yes, that is true."

"You know, I should turn you over to the police, except for the fact that I am now curious. How can someone like you come to steal over $60,000.00 in loot like that?"

"Like I said, I am an inventor."

Savannah looked at him over his glasses, and said, "That must be one amazing invention!"

"Not one, but several," answered Otto, "I created dolls that I sold out of my shop and designed them to steal for me."

"That's very clever. Is that all you can do."

"I have actually created an artificial intelligence, although…" Otto trailed off, knowing the loss he had suffered.

"What happened?" asked Savannah.

"It right now has the mind of a child. I was accelerating its learning when the bust happened. A bunch of kids seemed to have foiled my plot and the device must have followed them."

"Will it stay childlike?"

"No, but in the environment it is in, it will now age like a human."

Dr. Savannah seemed to doubt that he had succeeded the way he had thought, but he had to give it to him. He had read in the paper about how the dolls were doing what they were doing, so there had to be something to it. He then looked at Otto and said, "Could you reproduce this?"

"Certainly," answered Otto, "and I could improve on it. I am certain you have more than what it was to which I had access."

"Yes," said Dr. Savannah, "and I would say this: if you can do this, in my eyes, you will have redeemed yourself, and I will not turn you in. I have friends who can then help you disappear and assume a new life. Does this interest you?"

"Most certainly!" responded Otto, happily.

Savannah reached over and pressed a button, and said, "Send up about three security men and escort Mr. Drosselmyer to the computer labs. I have use for him there, and whatever he needs, see that he gets it."

The next day, the AP class was asked to work with the younger kids in helping them to get ready for the show at the end of the month. What surprised everyone that one of the new assistant instructors was not what you would call ordinary. She wore silver and gray leotards and tights, with silver toe shoes. She had auburn hair, orange skin, and her eyes glowed green. Tim and Cassie were shocked, as were the Secret Six. The class was aware of Fakir, Mytho, and Rue being assistant instructors for the time that the Fawcett City Ballet was closed, but they were unaware of this one. She was different, but stunningly beautiful as well. She practically floated in, with a Pepsodent grin, and a cheerful disposition, saying, "Greetings, Friends! It is my honor to be a new assistant instructor of the dance!"

Tim thought, "You have got to be kidding me!"

Cassie was unaware that she even knew this kind of dance. Tanya then said, "Everyone, I know you know our other three guest instructors, but we have a new teacher here, and her name is Miss Kory Andra, (a play off her actual name: Koriand'r.) Please help her feel welcome!"

Everyone applauded, and Tim managed to slip up to her, whispering, "I didn't know you could do this."

She whispered back, saying, "I am an expert in a style of dance from my home world that is precisely the same. Bruce told me that this was a school that teaches of the arts, so I went and, as you say, 'did my homework,' and found all the Earth names for the steps. I hope that I am successful in instructing the young ones! They look so adorable in their tights of dancing!"

Tim just shrugged, and went to prepare for warm-ups. The assistants went to points of the room while Tonya took her position in the middle. She went through her meditation exercise as she was wont to do, and that was when Mr. Katt came in. "Sorry I'm late," he said, "I hope that I can get into the warm-ups."

Everyone was pleased to see their old instructor, and he teased them saying, "I had to make sure you didn't forget what I taught you!"

"Okay, everyone, right hands on the bar, please," said Tonya, as she began to tap out the rhythm out with the cane.

As they went through, the assistants were moving around, adjusting here, instructing there, encouraging in other places. Rue was friendly, but methodical, while it seemed that Mytho was reaching right into your soul, almost anticipating a faulty move. Fakir was very stiff but confident, acting very German in his approach, while Mr. Katt was his usual self. However, Kory took the cake. As she went around, whenever she saw someone not quite there, she would physically demonstrate what was supposed to be done, and encouraged the student to follow her. Once they got it, she gushed over with praise, applauding a little here and there. She was exuding an energy that seemed to capture people, and energize them. She came up to Nana and said, "Oh, but you dance so well, young one! Your mind looks like it's on a cloud!"

She stroked her face, and Nana's line sharpened up all the more. She was now attacking the moves, and Tonya liked what she saw in Kory. It was interesting that she was not harsh with them. Instead of snapping, she just said, "Oh, now I know you are better than that," with a broad smile on her face, and then demonstrated. She would have to see about offering her a permanent position. She was like a princess, and seemed to be enjoying it, and not just trying to collect a check. As the call was made for everyone to line up for drills, Ahiru said, "Does she always act like she wears rose colored glasses?"

"That's just Starfire," said Billy, "She could cuddle up with a rattlesnake and make it not want to bite!"

"Wow!" exclaimed Ahiru, "How does she do that?"

"I don't know," she said, "But if she could tame Beast Boy when we first found him, she could tame anything!"

After drills, they began to refine the Fantasia Live aspect of things, and Kory threw herself into it with relish. Because of the energy she was putting into it, suddenly everyone that had been having problems with parts began to get it. When it was over, Tonya said, "Well, it looks like you guys are gaining back something you have forgotten. I know we can be a bit strict, but that is only so you can be what I already envision you to be. However, I think Miss Andra has reminded you that this is supposed to be fun. When it is that way, everything else falls into place. Let's keep that in mind as we do this. Okay, dance phase is done for now, and now it is time for the classroom phase of the instruction. I hope you have your reports ready!"

Everyone groaned, but they were ready. At this, the six came up to Kory, as did Tim and Cassie, and Ahiru said, "Wow, that was incredible! You could be a prima ballerina!"

"Perhaps I could one day," said Kory, "But doing this is so much fun! I love seeing the happy faces when they do things right, and I love helping them do it. It almost makes me forget the task which we must do."

"Well, about that," said Rue, "After AP class, the team assigned to the Saturday Night Killer is meeting in the Raven's Nest. The ones in school will get their assignments done, and then we will get down to work. We may go to Fawcett tonight to do some investigating. We have an idea where he likes to hide now, and we want to pursue that."

"Yes, most certainly, dearest Rue," said Kory, "We must stop this poor, deluded fool!"

Fakir laughed and said, "You sound just like Princess Tutu! I think you two are going to get along! In fact, I think we should pair you!"

"Oh, and which one of you is this princess?" asked Kory.

"I am," said Ahiru.

"Oh, you are the one that is called 'Duck,' are you not?" asked Kory.

"That's me!" chirped Ahiru in return.

"You dance so well!" said Kory gleefully, "I can see why you are in that act. I love your album."

Ahiru just blushed, and said, "Hey, I think I have a soul mate here!"

Billy then said, "Yep, you know what they say about birds of a feather!"

At that, they all started to make duck calls, which got everyone involved a headband pummeling as she laughed at them. "What is with the strange noises?" asked Kory, and Ahiru said, "I'll explain later!"

6


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

The Saturday Night Killer team met in the Raven's nest, and after they had finished their studies, they began to go over his file. Indeed, this man was disturbed. Ahiru started to say, "Then maybe Tutu…" but she was cut off by Fakir, who said, "If he is doing what he is doing, there is no helping him. Besides, that would be all he would need to see: you as the White Swan in all her glory, and he, a maniac that kills dancers."

Rachel then said, "You would have to admit, that would be excellent bait."

"There is yet something that I do not understand," said Kory, "If he was a dancer, then why does he hate them so?"

"Come, now, Starfire," said Billy, "You saw what his peers did to him. It seems to me that they are some kind of hick town that's very narrow-minded."

Elly thought for a moment, and then she said, "No, it has to be more than that. Fakir, did you ever take any flak growing up as a dancer?"

"I know where you are going on that," said Fakir, "It was not as bad in Germany because that kind of thing is more accepting of boys doing ballet. However, that did not mean that I did not take the occasional teasing."

"How did you overcome it?" asked Elly.

"Well, I had support," said Fakir, "From my…" and it dawned on him. He had solace from Charon, and it gave me the courage to ignore them and carry on. "So, you're saying that it came from home?" said Fakir.

"That would be my guess," said Elly.

"Still, getting pummeled like that would push me over the edge," said Billy, but Ahiru then said, "No; I don't see that, though it would put me close to the edge."

Kory caught on to things, and she said, "What if he was looking for that help from his parental units, and they somehow blamed him for what had happened?"

"He would have snapped," said Rachel, "And I think we need to pay someone a visit."

Fakir then said, "Then you should go check it out. Here's the address."

Rachel looked at Elly and said, "To get through to them, we need to scare them out of their wits. Come with me."

"Sure beats walking down the streets of Fawcett, risking getting shot," said Elly, and that settled it. Fakir then said, "Duck, why don't you come with me tonight, and Starfire, go with Billy. If we split up, we may have a better chance of finding him."

Once the deal was set, everyone transformed, and they were off to their tasks.

On the west coast, an older couple in a nice house had finished their dinner, and was settling down in their spacious, plush living room with every convenience and luxury that years of working could reward. They sat in the dim light to the relaxing music, hoping to enjoy themselves for a while. Outside, Raven and Shadow were waiting to move in. "Well, what's your plan, magic girl?" said Elly, but Raven just gave her an evil look that said she had got herself into a mood that you just did not want to cross. She then just said, "Um…okay, no jokes: bad idea."

Raven had that dark side that she had expressed to Tutu, but she did not show, because Tutu had a way of culling it. However, there was nothing to stop her here, and furthermore, considering how she never knew what good parents were, and how bad parenting can come back to nip those parents in the butt, she was going to frighten them to the point of death, but not allow it to come. She began to concentrate and aim herself at the power line heading to the house, and the broadband cable under the ground, and began to moan, "_Azra Metrion Zynthos!_"

The power line snapped, and the cable underground popped. Inside, everything went out, and the man was aggravated that a great night was being spoiled. He then picked up the phone to contact the power company and get them to fix it. As much money as he sunk into that town, he was certain help would come quickly. However, when he picked up the phone, it was dead—not even a busy signal! Outside, Raven reached out with her abilities, and a black coloring covered the knob and the lock. It then opened with no effort, and she said, "Now, do your thing, Elly: start getting their attention."

Elly entered the house and walked straight to the living room. She also thought for a moment, and realized that using a creepy voice as she talked into their minds might add that touch of terror for which they sought. "Greetings, Mr. and Mrs. Brooks," said Elly, "Your fields are ripe, and it's time to reap!"

His heart was now racing, as was his wife's, and they looked all around, seeing nothing. "Who are you?" he said, quite frightened, "Where are you?"

She then said, "I am the Shadow. I am everywhere! I know the evil that lurks in your hearts!"

Of course, she didn't, but it added to the effect, and she went with it. "What evil?" said the man, all nervous, "What are you talking about?"

"You have sown the wind with your son," said Shadow, "Now reap the whirlwind!"

The woman piped up and said, "What do you know about Gilbert?"

"I know your son is a murderous psychopath!" Shadow said, "And you have to ask yourselves just how much you had to do with it!"

"What are you talking about?" the man demanded again, "We did all we could to love him!"

It was then another voice was heard, and Raven was now floating off the ground in front of them, her eyes and earrings glowing from underneath her hood, making her even more intimidating. She said, "Oh, did you love him? Just how much did you support his dance choices?"

The eyes of the Brooks were now darting back and forth at this point, as a tinge of guilt started to well up. However, pride was kicking in, and Mr. Brooks said, "We always supported his choices. We always wanted him to do what he wanted."

At this point, it looked like magazines were floating down the stairs on their own, some in a stack, (courtesy of the Shadow,) and the rest enveloped in a black globe as they were set before them. Shadow quickly moved behind them so they could not get a bead on her, and then she said, "Your son had interesting reading choices! Care to examine them?"

"Where did you get these?" demanded Mrs. Brooks.

Shadow gave a short cackle and said, "From a secret space in your son's closet!"

"No, not Gilbert!" exclaimed Mr. Brooks, "Please, not Gilbert: we taught him better than that!"

"Check the dates on them," said Shadow, being able to see them from where she stood in back of them. As they did, they all bore dates after the beating he took. Raven then said, "Is that not the time he started becoming…problemed?"

Shadow continued to try and extract a confession, and said, "Yes, what happened when you saw him in the hospital."

At first, they were not sure they remembered, but then they now realized they did not want to remember. Yet, Raven lifted up a couple of the fashion magazines showing the defaced pictures of the dancers, marked in the same way as his victims. "You must remember something, considering he never danced another step after this!"

"Get out! Get out you demon spawn!" screamed Mrs. Brooks, "Leave an old couple alone!" and she started to cry. Shadow now wanted to back off a bit, but Raven told her telepathically, "No, they are just as responsible for things, and they need to face it if they want to heal."

"Listen, I don't care who you are!" snapped Mr. Brooks, and suddenly he grabbed his chest. He was having a heart attack, but this would not fly for Raven. A hand went out, as she said again, "_Azra Metrion Zynthos!_"

His chest became enclosed in a black globe, and she healed his heart. "You are not getting out of it that easy," said Raven, "You are going to face this!"

"I remember nothing!" said Mr. Brooks, and Raven then said, "Oh, don't worry! I can find out what I want!"

She then floated over and held her hand over their heads. She began to concentrate on that night.

That night, his parents rushed to the hospital. His mother was all worried, but his father looked cross. When they got there, his mother was asking him all about what happened and why. However, his father started in on him and said, "I told you to get out of that sissy dance. You knew how people would react."

"But dad, I'm good, and I have a future in…" Gilbert started in, but is father backhanded him, saying, "Don't you realize what your fairy dancing is doing to me? I have people calling my son a faggot, and accusing me of keeping a pervert in the house. You are hurting my chances for reelection! Now you go and do this!"

"Dear, it's not his fault!" she said, trying to stand up to him.

"IT IS EVERY INCH HIS FAULT!" he thundered, "If he had not gotten into it and played baseball and football _like any normal boy would have_, (looking at Gilbert as he said it,) this would never have happened. You brought this on yourself, and you embarrassed me. Now how in Sam Hill am I going to explain this one to the lodge boys?"

At that point, Gilbert's only support stood silent, and said nothing more. Raven let up, and now Mr. Brooks was staring at the floor, and Mrs. Brooks was now in tears, and a wreck. "Thus, you destroyed your son, and you let it happen by not standing against your husband for his selfish behavior!"

Raven was not exactly Tutu, in that there would be no counsel or consoling dance—just a harsh reality. "Please…no more…" protested Mr. Brooks feebly, but Raven was not done yet. She then said, "What you did was tantamount to telling him you wished he had never been born—that his very existence was an inconvenience to you, and now, in Fawcett city, he's taking it out on the dancers there."

They both looked up at her in shock. Shadow then said, "Apparently, he took your words to heart, Mr. Brooks. He blames dancing for all his ills, and now he's taking it out on them, to show you that he no longer loves it. He thinks by eliminating dancing, he can prove his manhood, and get back in good graces with you—good graces that I see never really existed."

"What can we do?" said Mrs. Brooks.

"Support the arts, dancers, and such," said Raven, "Use that vast fortune, and support the arts school near that city. Be public about it. If you are loud enough about it, how your son was a dancer, and how you were proud of him, you might flush him out, and we can put and end to this. Then you need to apologize to the families that have lost because of him, and support them for the rest of their lives. Heaven knows your son won't do that!"

With that, she said her words again, reached out her hand, and reconnected the power and phone. The soft music played on their favorite station, until a news report broke in. It said, "We interrupt this broadcast to bring you a news flash. Tonight, in Fawcett city, the death count for the Saturday Night Killer just went up to four."

The report went on to say that it was a visiting dancer to the city, there to do a memorial show for the dancers already lost, and now she would have to have one done for her. It went on to tell about her life and career, but Raven cut in and said, "It sounds like you need to get to work, Mr. Brooks."

She teleported out, taking the Shadow with her, and leaving the Brooks with their thoughts on just what they had unleashed on the world.

As the other four went their way, word came down that another dancer had died, and, ironically, it was a visiting dancer who wanted to memorialize friends and colleagues that she had lost. Now, she had joined them, and this gave everyone more incentive to work. Tutu and Fakir remained silent as they made their way in the areas where he had been hiding, knowing that they could not mourn for the loss of another sister of the dance until later. As they went, Fakir did say, "The only think that could come out of that is that we may have a chance to catch him fleeing."

Fakir picked up his communicator and expressed this to Captain Marvel, who both was doing a flying patrol of the city. Marvel thanked Black Knight for the information and relayed what had happened to Starfire. She could not believe this, but she had dealt with it in her time as a crime fighter, so she just redoubled her resolve. She then said, "I have been here a number of years, and I have yet to understand a mind like what we now deal with, and what causes that mind."

"From what I understand," said Billy, "He was the product of his environment. His environment called any male that did that kind of a dance a homosexual."

"What if he was such?" she asked.

"Well, you have to understand," said Billy, "Some people just don't know how to separate one's acts from the person. Hey, it may not be everyone's cup of tea, but dealing with it in hate and killing is not the way. Some are so bigoted that if someone even hints at that, they attack it. Thus, it isn't so much that he was gay or not as much as it was they just suspected it, and that was all. It may not even be true, and that is the kind of hate we fight."

"Some people just act like they do not have a brain!" she said, all pouty.

"Well, an evil just as bad is out there, and we have a chance to catch him," said Marvel.

"Well then, let us peel our eyes and remained sharpened," said Starfire, and Marvel had to chuckle at the way she spoke. After all this time, she still had not assimilated to the language. It was then she spotted someone moving quickly, constantly looking over her shoulder. Starfire then exclaimed, "Captain Marvel, I see him. I see him!"

"Let's confirm that," said Marvel, and they flew down.

Gilbert Brooks had no idea what was going on. Normally, he would do a killing first, and then move to a new place. However, this report came out, and he was right in the public, easy to be seen. He had to get back. He, at first, thought it had been a mistake, but now he realized that it was a ruse. They were trying to flush him out, and now he had to get back, hide, and move somewhere else. What he didn't know was that the Magpie had spotted him on the street, and set it up with the police and the national news circuit to put out that news report once he had. Now he was moving through the rooftops, looking to stop this man before he got away. He was going to get some unexpected help. Out of nowhere came Starfire as she hovered before him, saying, "You must now stop! You have killed another person, and that cannot ever be excused!"

"I didn't kill her, I swear!" he said, and then realized that he was telling on himself a bit, and then he said, "I don't even know what you're talking about!"

He started to turn, and saw Captain Marvel approach. He changed course, and he saw Starfire again, with her eyes now glowing a bright green, as she said, "I am afraid I am going to have to stun you now."

She took her aim, and prepared to fire, but that is when they heard a commotion start a block away.

While all this was going on, Tutu and Fakir were making their way through the streets, looking for their target, when it happened. As they passed by an alley, they heard, "No way! Man, talk about luck!"

They looked over, and in an alley came out about 30 members of the Fawcett 126, and somehow, Conrad was in the lead again. Black Knight said, "How in the world did you get out?"

He just smiled a surprisingly friendly smile, and said, "Hey man, I got good lawyers!"

His face then turned serious, and he said, "Too bad for you, ain't it?"

Tutu then spoke up and said, "Cease this foolishness! We seek a great evil, and we have no time to dance with you tonight!"

"We all got our problems, ho!" he said, "And you owe me a dance! I told you that you wouldn't outlive this!"

They all got ready to pull out pieces, but Black Knight was ready. He pulled out three magnesium flares and flung them at the feet of Conrad. They screamed in pain as Black Knight pulled his sword, and Tutu pulled out her fans. At that, they charged into the fight. It was this commotion that Starfire heard. She looked over to see what was going on, and Gilbert used that brief second to get out of there. Marvel then said, "Never mind him. We'll have to get him another time!"

They then flew to where the others were. Black Knight was mixing well, as was Tutu, and doing so in such a fashion that the gang was reluctant to use their pistols, lest they end up killing a friend. However, the fight was spilling out of the alley and into the street, giving their foes a chance to fire. Yet, as they raised their pistols, green bolts of energy started to blast around them, and knocking out their guns. A red blur flew through them, taking up those same guns, and mashing them into a big ball of metal. "Boy, Conrad, you just don't learn, do you," said Captain Marvel, as Black Knight and Tutu went back into them. Black Knight sheathed his sword, knowing that it would be more than needed as now they only had knives. That was enough, however, to justify Tutu still having her fans, and in they went. Black Knight was being brutal, as Tutu was just being clever, parrying blows, and letting their clumsy strikes work against them as she let them stumble into each other. Black Knight was trying to locate Conrad in all this, as Marvel and Starfire were rounding up all those that were trying to flee. Conrad, on the other hand, had other ideas. He was trying to sneak up on Tutu with a large knife, but as he raised it to strike, a fan spun into his way and deflected the blow. She then put a cut on the back of his hand with the other, just to let him know that he was outmatched. He dropped the knife as she said, "I am certain that this is a dance you shall not enjoy, my dear Conrad."

He growled in pain, and was looking to pounce, when Black Knight jumped in front of her, and said, "Now, dance with me!"

He charged, but he got caught in a Tai chest lock, and found about four knees to his face, which put him out for the count. They were glad to have stopped them again, but they had let the fish off the hook.

Gilbert ran as fast as he could. He could not let them stop him from his crusade. That is when another sight came out that he did not want to see. Dropping down from a fire escape was the Magpie. "And just where are you going?" he asked, and Gilbert looked like a deer staring into a set of oncoming headlights. He started to move like he was going to run, but he found a clothesline on his chin. Magpie turned around to face him, but found that Gilbert had kipped up and met him with a kick to the chest which put Magpie on his rear end. He may not have danced in years, but he had kept fit, and still had much of his agility and athleticism—something that Magpie wished he did not have. The two clashed, and Gilbert showed that he could adapt and hold his own as they began to exchange blows. "Give it up, Gilbert! This is no way to get back at your family and town!"

Now Gilbert grew frantic and began to flail like a maniac as he screamed, "WHAT DO YOU KNOW! I HAVE TO MAKE DADDY PROUD! I HAVE TO GET RID OF DANCE, AND HE WON'T HATE ME ANYMORE!"

"Gilbert, this is not the way," shouted Magpie, followed by a right cross that connected. Gilbert hit the ground, but rolled back up again, now too enraged to feel the pain anymore, bleeding at the lip. "LEAVE ME ALONE!" he screamed, as he flung sand into Magpie's eyes. The visor blocked most, but not enough to prevent him from being distracted. Gilbert took off, hoping that he didn't run out of luck.

He got to where he was staying and started to get ready to leave. However, a voice came into his head and said, "Gilbert, it's time to stop running! This is not the answer!"

He screamed and started to flail. He was going nuts at that point and just left everything as he began to run. However, Shadow was at the entrance, and stuck out her foot as the man went bum over teat, and landed hard on the ground. Shadow was now looking for something to finish the job, like a stick or brick, but when she found one, he was gone. "Man, I need to work on this superhero stuff!" she said, "It sure ain't painting!"

He tore down the street, and entered another abandoned building, looking for refuge. He would go for his stuff later, but he also feared that they finally caught him. He had gone through a few rooms when he ran into a smiling Princess Tutu, standing on point, legs crossed, hands over her head. She said, "Please stop. I should be angry that you have killed dancers—my brothers and sisters—but I also know you have suffered the murder of your soul. Give me a chance to bring it back to life again, and you can come to terms with what you have done."

She then twirled her hands above her head and brought down her right hand to him, she knowing he knew what that meant. As she dropped to the fifth position, she then said, "Please, Gilbert, it's not dirty to dance. Dance is not dirty. Please remember that. Dance with me, and let me help you remember that. I know you loved this at one time, and I want you to love it again. Others would return hate for your hate. I give you love in place of hate. Is that dirty?"

He did not know why he was looking at her differently. She was a dancer, and he should have been filled with lust. However, she was pretty and almost looked like his old instructor. Instead of seeing a dirty girl, he now saw a kind goddess, trying to give him love that he never received from his parents or anyone in that one horse town. She did not conjure up the old thoughts, and she added, "Come, Gilbert, come back to yourself and dance!"

He knew he shouldn't, but he could not resist. He took her hand, and the connection was made. Suddenly, they were on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera House, he was resplendent in a prince's outfit as she was in her own outfit. The symphony started to play Brindisi, and the dance commenced. She would normally be trying to talk to him, but because he was a dancer, he could let out all his emotions that way, and she could give him the mental support he needed as he gave her the physical support. They were going through a pas de deux that seemed to float and emulate beauty, as if the definition for the word was expressed in that dance. He was very good, and because of the link, she could bring back all that he had learned, and allow it to be that he could do the dance as if he had never stopped practicing. Spins, turns, lifts, and waltzing were so good it almost had a glorious aura to it. For the first time in years, Gilbert felt peace. It was not that he was feeling anything nasty, but he was feeling like the two were one entity, giving beauty and power to all who watched. Suddenly, at the climax of the dance, he heard, "Looks good, you fairy!"

He set Tutu down, and he saw the audience was made up of the townsfolk. Tutu said, "Don't listen to them! Remember how you were just feeling. That was the real you!"

He then saw his father in the orchestra, directing it, saying, "You are a disgrace to the family! You are not my son!"

Tutu was now begging him to ignore it and go on, but he looked off stage to see his mother. She smiled at him, but it then went to a frown, and she turned her back. At that, the audience began to chant, "Dirty boy! Dirty boy! Dirty boy!"

He put his hands to his head and did a crescendo into a scream, holding his head. At that, the link was broken, and he yelled, "NO! YOU'RE ONE OF THEM! THEY SENT YOU TO TRICK ME, YOU DIRTY WITCH!"

With that, he pulled her in and pulled a large knife, saying, "Now you shall make dirty no more!"

"WRONG ANSWER!" was heard in his head, as his arm was jerked back, and he was thrown to the floor.

Shadow (Elly) had heard the scream, and rushed as fast as she could to that point, and came just in time to stop the monster from doing his deed. She began to feel it, as if she were about to relapse, but it was her friend. She just had to act. He got up to engage whatever attacked him, but he could not see what had done it. He saw the knife, and he went for it, but he then heard, "_Azra Metrion Zynthos!_"

The knife turned black and flew out a window. Raven's eyes were glowing a bright white, and she was not in a good mood. "You just made a big mistake!" seethed Raven, and he turned to run when Magpie appeared next to Tutu, and they both went to confront him. "NO!" he screamed, as everything was spinning in his head now, and he ducked a punch from magpie, followed up with a backhand to the face of Tutu. It bloodied her lip, and she screamed in pain as tears began to flow. What happened next could best be said this way: Raven went postal. Now, where her eyes had been two glowing white lamps, there were four glowing red eyes. A black mist was now emanating from under her robes as she began to float above it. Her voice now sounded like several voices coming out of it, and she uttered, "Now you shall know real fear!"

She used a force push to knock him down and drifted over him, enclosing him in her now elongated cloak. This was followed by a blood curdling scream, and begging for it to stop. Shadow became visible to everyone now, and she said, "Raven, no! Let him go!"

She would not listen. However, Black Knight finally caught up to the action, saw what was happening, and dove through the air as he tacked her. On impact, Raven's eyes turned to normal, and she said, "What just happened?"

When she sat up, there was Gilbert, in a fetal position, shaking like a leaf, and saying, "Cold…dark…very dark…make it go away!"

"Oh no, it happened, didn't it," said Raven, and Tutu could see her distraught. She came up and said, "Oh, dearest Raven, please don't be sad."

"This is what I tried to tell you about on the moon," she said with her head low. Starfire had caught up by this point, and now realized what had happened. Raven then said, "Please, leave me!"

Tutu was not so easily deterred. "No," said Tutu, "Others may have pushed you away, but that's not what I'm going to do."

"Remember, Raven," said Starfire, "I told you that I would be your friend no matter what! It is okay. We are here for you."

It was then that they looked up to see Elly begin to stagger, and start to fall. "What's wrong?" asked Raven, and Tutu said, "She suffers from a chronic mono that had been in recess."

"Is that all?" asked Raven, as she went up, touched her, and began to purge the disease out of her. Suddenly Elly not only began to feel better, but she felt like a million dollars. Another thing that they noticed was that she had lost several dress sizes when she did this, saying, "You are as you were before it all happened."

Elly was now trying to keep her skirt up, and eventually tied it at the waist. She then hugged Raven, saying, "Thank you—you gave me back so much just now!"

"Looks like you made a new friend," said Tutu, and Raven said, "Just don't broadcast it too loud: I have a rep to protect, you know."

At this, Captain Marvel arrived, and said, "I went and got the police once Black Knight sent us word that you had him cornered. Magpie, it looks like you have a new payday!"

"Looks like it," said Magpie, "And it's too bad that he will never see the outside of a mental institution. I wonder if there could be some hope for him to come out of it."

Tutu looked at him, and said, "From what I could see, the real Gilbert is in there."

She took his hand, connected, and in her mind, saw him in a large cage surrounded by darkness and nothing. "Gilbert," she said, but he said, "Go away!"

"No, Gilbert," she said, "Never forget what happened in that dance. That was the real you. Always remember that. When you are ready to come out, I will be there to dance with you again."

Externally, he stopped shaking, and now had a smile on his face. As they took him away, they heard him humming Brindisi. Tutu then said, "Keep dancing, Gilbert—keep dancing until you are free."

Black Knight then said, "You act like that man is not a monster."

"He is no more of a monster than anyone of us would have ended up had all that happened to us!" scolded Tutu, "If he had enough of a mind to face it, he indeed has to pay for his wrong, no question. However, I am forced to agree that he shall never come out of his state. He is not a monster, just a tragedy. Yet, even if he never comes to, if he can remember that dance, then at the very least, he can have peace, and all that meant to destroy him will have failed, because now, they will never be able to stop him from dancing, and they can never hurt him again."

Marvel came up and said, "You never cease to amaze me! You truly are a goddess, for only someone like that can see the good in someone who society would have just written off as a bloodthirsty killer."

"If I can stop evil in that way," said Tutu, "then I hope that I can truly bring peace to this world."

"Then don't stop dancing, dear princess," said Black Knight, "because the world needs more like you."

Marvel smiled, and said, "I'm jealous of you, Black Knight."

"Why is that?" Black Knight said in return.

"The way you two are friends," Marvel said, "If this had been another world, you might have beaten me to her!"

They both looked at Marvel as if he was crazy, and they all laughed as they went home.

8


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

When word came down that the killer had been caught, there was much rejoicing on the Kinkan campus. All the restrictions were lifted, and things were going to go back to normal. While the celebrated, Luthor was plotting. He had to do something drastic. He called up Dr. Savannah to get some word from him. When they connected, Luthor asked, "So, what do you have for me?"

"We have a man with us now I had initially rejected as a nut case," responded Dr. Savannah, "But now he has shown me his genius, and now I have some plans."

Luthor smiled an evil grin, and he said, "Please, enlighten me!"

The fall variety show was coming up, and everyone was throwing their all into it now. Even Cassandra and Tim worked out something for the show, and it was going to be fun. It was Thursday night, and all the kids were looking forward to the upcoming weekend, and the show that Saturday. Study hall had just finished, and everyone was socializing, continuing with their studies, or getting ready for bed. Poe was doting over every detail of the Fantasia show with Elly, trying to figure out the proper hues of the set, costumes, and other various things. In Mary's room, Nana was trying to teach as much as she could to Uzzura while Mary and Mai were going over some last minute blocking for the Can-Can. Raven was in deep meditation as she wanted to make sure the Trigon side of her didn't rise up like that out of control again. In short, it was business as usual. No one was suspecting what was happening outside the walls.

All around the school, despite the vigil of the security and the Teen Titans, security men for Lexcorp in camouflage were making their way up and preparing to do something dreadful. There were about 50 men in all, each one coming up with about seven metallic looking dolls in a sack, and two in each arm. They looked like something that Drosselmyer would have build, and indeed he had. However, for their purpose, making them look like antique dolls was not necessary, because they would all not outlast the night. Slowly and carefully they crept up to the walls. Once there, they started to pull out the dolls and line them up along the walls of the schools, facing the walls, and then they were all activated. After that, they cleared the area. They had no need to remain. After this, they would wait a few days, and then go back and take care of that theatre. The dolls began to climb the walls and then deftly drop to the other side. They then all stayed to the wall and made their way to one side of the campus. A few dolls made their way to the first of the buildings and the rest went forward from there. As they passed, the trouble began.

As people were settling in, there were several small explosions, and people started to come to see what it was. The security there then jumped into action. "Fire!" was shouted, and they tried to get it under control, but it was spreading too fast. Soon, some more bangs were heard, and a couple more buildings were now starting to burn. Now there was a problem, and the local fire brigade was acting. However, a few more buildings caught, and they were already calling in some Fawcett brigades. In the meantime, Starfire and Beast Boy were springing into action. On some of what had just caught, Beast Boy had turned himself into an elephant, went to the fountain, and started to try to put out the fires. Yet, as soon as that happened, more of the robots came up to relight it. It was almost as if they were programmed to watch things, and reignite things if that happened. Beast Boy got out of there, and then turned into a hawk to fly to the dorms and warn the kids, as well as alert the Titans, and the Secret Six.

In the Raven's Nest, alarms were sounding in the master bedroom and in Fakir's room to go to the back room. As they staggered out of bed and headed to the back, they shut off the alarm and saw on the screen what was happening. Without even a second thought, Claire appeared where Rue once stood, and the Chess Knights were suiting up and heading out on their bikes. Meanwhile, at the campus, it was getting worse. Starfire tried to use her hand energy bolts to destroy a couple of them before the got to a building, but they burst into flames and caught what was nearby. Thus, destroying them would do no good. Blue Beetle, Captain Marvel, and Miss Manhunter tried to take them away, but they all exploded in their arms, as if they were rigged to go off when tampered with. They only thing that the heroes could do now was play riot control and get everyone to safety.

Soon, all over the news wires, the events at the school were being reported all over. Clark Kent was just getting ready to go home when Perry White came out of the office and shouted, "Kent, get in here!"

When he did, White was telling him, "This is big! It's hitting all over the place. Someone has been setting off fire bombs at some school of the arts near Fawcett city."

"That's terrible!" said Kent, "I have to get there!"

Perry, (having his back turned to Kent,) said, "Now, that's why I like you so much! You and I think so much alike! You already know what I want and…" then he turned around to see Kent gone, and then he said, "Now that's what I'm talking about! God, I love that man!"

However, it was not Kent heading there, as a transformation was taking place. Meanwhile, Diana Prince was watching the news from her Washington apartment when a call came through on a secure line. It was the President, who wanted to have her get there and investigate a possible terrorist attack. That was all she needed to hear. A few spins and Wonder Woman was standing where Diana once stood. In a flash, she was airborne. Wally West caught the report himself, and his wife looked over to say, "Say, don't you think…" but a breeze was her answer as he was already on his way. Bruce watched on the news, and he was frustrated that he could not get there in time to be of any good, but he was on the phone to the Wayne Foundation. He would do all he could within his power to act. While all that was going on, Lex Luthor sat on his couch in his plush apartment that was not too dissimilar to his office, wearing his pajamas, slippers, and a nice robe as he sipped a fine glass of wine, smiling broadly. "You should have played ball," he muttered with a smile, taking another sip of wine.

On campus, the students were trying to get out when they realized that the fire was so bad, it was keeping those that had not already fled from getting off campus. That's when the Marvels showed up, and started to pluck students off bit by bit. Poe had already gotten to the wall, flying up whatever students he could over the wall one by one. However, the chaos was getting worse, and the Titans were doing all they could to keep the kids under control, assure them that help was coming, and to contain the fire within the school walls. Yet, things were getting worse. The dolls had spread along the walls now, seeing that things were getting noticed, and they all went for the remaining buildings. In a fireball, the rest of the buildings went up, and terror struck. All the students huddled to the middle, and hoped for a miracle. At that instant, the Marvels, Superman, Flash, and Wonder Woman all arrived to start plucking out students to safety. At that point Nana had Uzzura, and Uzzura was completely fascinated by the sight, not even aware the danger that lay around them. "Ooh, pretty-zura!" she exclaimed, and she wanted a closer look. Nana had all she could do to hold on as Uzzura wiggled and finally broke loose. The heat was intense, but Nana screamed and tried to chase after her. "NO!" screamed both Mai and Youma, and they both went after Nana as Nana went after Uzzura. "No, little one!" Nana exclaimed, "You are wooden, you'll burn up!"

Suddenly, a wall began to break away from a building and fall towards the four figures. They screamed, but the wall stopped. Superman had arrived in time enough to hold up the wall as the Flash, Wonder Woman, and Starfire scooped them up and either flew or ran with them. Soon, everyone was safe outside, but there was yet more to do.

The Marvels were digging fire breaks all the way around the school as the Swan Sisters were creating moist vines that would not readily burn as the several fire brigades, and now the National Guard, were aiding in keeping the surrounding area from catching. At this, the Marvels and Superman hooked up and went to the nearby lake. The three used their super breaths to cool a large area of water. Then, with Wonder Woman's and Starfire, and Miss Manhunter's assistance, lifted it high above the school and let it drop. The rising heat melted the ice which turned into a rain. It did not put out the fires, but it dampened things enough for all the heroes to get in and start to control things with the fire fighters and National Guard. It also gave the choppers with the giant buckets of water a chance to start their airborne bucket brigade. There was no chance in saving anything, so the fire fighters with the heroes started to make the buildings fall in on themselves so they could burn individually, and to burn themselves out. By this point, the Red Cross had arrived en masse and started to render aid. The heroes all gathered, happy that they had succeeded, but saddened by the sight. The commanding officer of the guard unit there said, "The Titians, Secret Six, and the Justice League: it's a good thing you all arrived, or else we would be having more to do than just control the situation and render aid."

Tutu looked all saddened and said, "Yes, but it is a hollow victory. These poor students have lost it all.

Tutu wanted to cry herself, because she had also lost. The six went back into the ruins, and once away from everyone, the girls then started to cry. As they passed by the ruins of the dorms, Captain Marvel noticed something in the middle of the grounds, looking yellow and quite noticeable. He ran up and removed some of the rubble. It was the plush duck he had given her the year before, complete with its pendant. It was wet and marked with soot, but not burned. He said, "I can't believe it! He survived! He must have been blown out of the building when it erupted."

Tutu was on it like a shark on bloody meat and squeezing it tight. It smelled of smoke and got her wet, but she didn't care. For some reason, it gave her courage. Black Knight then said, "I can't believe the whole school is dead."

Tutu began to smile and say, "Don't think like that! It is not dead! We can survive this!"

Bruce could not sleep that night, though not sleeping was a common thing for him. He was down in the Batcave, going over the data, and the film that the news cameras were providing. He caught the sequence right before everything went up, and he spotted the dolls. He ran through it a few times, and it matched what the heroes were telling on the news. He then took a look in other local news reports. There was a certain Otto Drosselmyer still on the run for grand larceny, and he then began to see the means by which he had made such a haul. He also noted that there was a $5,000 reward on him, which meant that every bounty hunter in the world would be after him. What was eating him was how, if this were this Drosselmyer, he was able to pool the resources together to pull of something this big, and why he would have even done this. Considering what was under the land, it all pointed to Luthor, but he was up in Metropolis, and Fawcett was a couple hundred miles away. He then started to run data on any science corporations in that area that may have had the money and resources, and only one name came up: Savannah Inc. He then began to run the system to see if there was a connection. Soon, there was evidence of past legitimate deals between Savannah Inc and Lexcorp. "Bingo!" he thought, "Now we have to do what we can to keep that school open."

Just as the sun was rising, the Secret Six, (who had gone back to normal by that point,) were sleeping on a cot in a Red Cross shelter. Ahiru's communicator was going off, and it woke her out of a deep sleep. Wiping the sleep, she let go a groggy greeting, and the voice at the other end said, "Batman here."

"This is duck…um..." she said, forgetting that was a nickname, but Batman said, "Don't worry; I understand that's your name in English. I'm fluent in Japanese."

"Can I help you?" said Ahiru.

"Is there going to be a gathering at all today?"

"Yes, the headmaster is going to meet with the whole student body today."

"Stall him," said Bruce, "Because I have a suspicion you guys will get a visit from Luthor at some point. He's going to make a play for the grounds, because he'll think that the school is no more. He may be behind this, but there is no way of knowing."

"Believe me," said Ahiru, "There is going to be a special appearance of the Secret Six today with the Titans, and we will not let this happen."

"Good," said Bruce, "Because I am not going to let him walk away with that land."

Later that morning, MRE were being handed out to the students as Mr. Johansson and the board of trustees were approaching the makeshift stage made from a flatbed, ready to talk to the assembled students, (save for three of them.) Mr. Johansson then took the bull horn and started to say, "Well, it's obvious what has happened. This has been a tragic loss, and sad that only the school walls remain as a reminder that anything had been here. However…" he had to stop and choke back a few tears, "However, the board has said that even with the insurance and the entire trust combined, there is no way that we can rebuild the school. The school…therefore…"

He began to cry, hoping that he could go on, but he just could not. However, just as he was about to continue, a limo pulled up, and out came Lex Luthor. He came up and pulled aside the board of trustees as they talked for a few moments. Then the head of the board came up and said, "Lex Luthor has just given us a surprise. His corporation has pledged to match the trust and take the burden of clearing the land off from us, and to pay the tuition of every student in an art school of their choice for two years, in order to allow them to be established. Considering the circumstances, we feel this very generous, and we…"

But before he could continue, in came the Secret Six, the Teen Titans, and the members of the Justice League that had arrived to help, and Tutu took the bull horn. She tested it out, and declared, "My fellow brothers and sisters of the arts: please, do not accept this!"

"Young lady, you may be a hero, but…" said the trustee, but he suddenly found the Chess Knights and Superman in his face. She then said, "This does not have to be. Let us look at the situation, and realize that all they did was destroy the buildings. In truth, you students are the school. Buildings are just that, and even without them, can you not be educated? Yet, if the buildings have no students, what kind of a school is that? I say that we figure out a way to keep this going until we have proper facilities again."

A loud cheer came over the students, but Luthor was getting angry. He started to come up to try to take away the bull horn, but Robin came up to confront him. The secret service agent then came up to confront Robin, only to be restrained by Wonder Woman, who said, "Back off, agent! Before you say anything, as far as that goes, I outrank you!"

As that was going on, another limo showed up, and it was Bruce Wayne with his former ward Dick Grayson, both in suits. As the approached, Tutu said, "If we do this right, we can have a fundraiser, and then see if the town can give us lodging."

"Good idea," said Bruce Wayne as he approached. He then took the bull horn and said, "The Wayne Foundation is going to help restore things. I have asked them, with the aid of the National Guard, to set up a tent city here. Things will be a bit primitive, but you can still live here and have classes. We can set up some Mobile Kitchen Trailers and feed everyone for as long as needed. Plus, since this is a school of the arts, I have asked GBS out of Metropolis with the help of WHIZ in Fawcett want to help. What we understand is that you were to have a variety show tomorrow. Well, if you can wait a few days, we are going to contact the show biz world, and, with you students, put on a fundraiser to help raise the money to sustain you and rebuild the school. I pledge, out of my pocket, the first ten million dollars!"

There was a loud cheer, and he said, "Out of that, we can re-supply everyone with all that they lost in the fire, and prepare for the show!"

That brought a very loud cheer from the students, and the board seemed pleased by that proposal. They turned to see if Luthor wanted to contribute to this, but he was gone. Everyone started to sing the school song, and then they began to chant, "WE ARE…KINKAN! WE ARE…KINKAN!"

Back in Fawcett, Johnny was looking for his next job, and, as always, the $1,000,000 bounty on the super villain known simply as Slade was still there. He laughed, wondering if anyone would ever be able to collect that bounty. He figured that, maybe one day, he might be able to take him. Right now, he was looking for an easy take, and he saw a $5,000 bounty on some fugitive named Drosselmyer. He had last been seen there about a week before, but had not been seen since. He began to pour over the recent fire in Kinkan, and he easily began to put two and two together. He figured that it would now be good to check things out in Kinkantown and see if there was some way to shag a quick pay day.

Later that day, back in Metropolis, Luthor was ready to throw a rod. He almost had that property again, and again, Wayne snatched it from him. Now he had no other choice. He picked up a number that had been given to him years ago, but he hoped that he would never have to use. On screen cam a man in silver, form fitting armor, designed for free movement, with a full head mask, colored harlequin style, one half black, one half orange. The image filled the screen, and he said in his soft but sinister voice, "Mr. Luthor, I figured that you might be calling me one day."

"Yes, Mr. Slade," said Luthor, "I have a job for you. There is a certain multi-billionaire and a band of ballet supers that I need you to eliminate for me."

"Would that be Bruce Wayne, perchance?"

"Of course, but, how did…" but Luthor was cut off by Slade, who said, "Trust me; I have resources that let me know all of what is going on. For example, I know you have a keen interest in that land, and that you want it badly."

Luthor looked at him stoically, and then he said, "I shall pay you well."

"I'm sure you will."

"Dr. Savannah is in Fawcett, and I am sure he can lend a hand."

"His resources would come in handy. Tell me, will Wayne be there?"

"He's overseeing some kind of fundraiser there. That may be your chance."

"Hmm," thought Slade, "Perhaps then I and my friends should go to make our contribution?"

Luthor just smiled at the prospect.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Johnny went to the now closed shop as the Magpie, wanting to know what he could find out. The shop had long been cordoned off by the police as a crime investigation site, and they were still doing that job. Magpie was not sure what he would find there when he entered, because he was certain that the police would have returned what they could to their owners, and cleaned the place of anything useful. He did know that the police had made off with all the schematics of his devices, blueprints, and other such useful things. However, that was really not what he was searching for, so the loss of those things did not really hurt him. That, in reality, was inconsequential to him. What he cared more about was anything left behind that would have indicated where he ended up. He chose to go after midnight, knowing that all that would be there was the occasional patrol of the police of the shop, and no prying eyes. He was not necessarily doing anything illegal per se. Yet, it was an official crime scene, so his fiddling around would have been frowned upon. On the other hand, he remembered how the LAPD had botched the investigation of the murder involving that football hall of famer some years back, and he knew that, oftentimes, the police are not as thorough as they could be. He just felt sorry for the head detective in the case who, because of politics, had his name soiled with some untrue accusations in order to attempt to acquit that player. He liked the fact that he told the police where they could stick his badge after that, and joined the ranks of the private investigator with him. He was a great man, and he was glad to know him as a colleague. Because of his help, he learned to look for details that the police did not know how to look for, and never to overlook what seems inconsequential. It was that attitude that helped him break an old murder case wide open, and helped to put the scumbag behind bars who did it, but who was related to a family that had been deep into politics for decades, and who used that influence to keep that man protected. He came out with dirt they could not deny, and as a result, to protect the family reputation, cut him dead. Magpie remembered this lesson, and had this in mind in going in.

The front door was taped off, but not locked, in that there was nothing in there anymore of value to steal. He pulled out his flashlight and stared to look around. There was nothing in the front that told him anything, and nothing in the draws in the front counter. He then went to the workshop, and in there too the draws were barren of anything. He then decided to go into the man's apartment to see if there was anything there. He climbed the fire escape, managed to get the window open, and slipped in. With the exception of anything that dealt with what he had created, the place was fairly much as it had been when he left it. Magpie smiled, knowing that the police left behind more than they realized that would have helped their investigation immensely. He went to the fridge, where he saw, and smelt, that they had not bothered to clean the thing out, not realizing the interesting lab experiments that they would be creating. He started searching drawers all over the kitchen, and came across a catch-all drawer underneath the phone. It was filled with all kinds of cards and papers, and he came across one that mentioned Savannah corp. He knew that that corporation was into scientific research there in Fawcett, and he wondered if he tried to find haven there. He pulled that out and set it on the counter, and rummaged through the papers some more. There were some older ones that were letters from that company with old dates, dealing with rejections for employment or selling inventions to them. At first, he wanted to dismiss this man going to these people, considering how they were refusing him at first. However, judging by the age, they were old rejections, which may have meant that what he tried to submit was only in the infant stages, and thus may have been rejected as a result. He then started to read a couple of letters, and sure enough, it was just that. However, now that he had made working models of what he proposed, that company may have seen the potential. Yet, he had to ask why they would have taken him. If they were an honest group, then they would never have taken a fugitive from the law—that is, if they were honest. He took a chance and picked up the phone. He then pushed the buttons that would dial back the last number called. After a couple of moments, a recording machine came on, announcing that it was the Savannah corp. and that they were closed at that time. He hung up before it got much further along, because he had what he wanted. He took the card, put everything back the way it was, and left.

At Kinkan, construction crews were working to clear the rubble away as the Wayne Foundation, care of the National Guard, established a tent city on the grounds, including living areas and recreation areas. Portable classrooms were also brought in, and classes resumed after a week. They wanted to get the fundraiser going, but it would take that time to get everything set up, but that time was not wasted. The creative arts class worked feverishly to build the backdrops and sets needed, as well as the stage for the show. It also allowed more people to be called in and tapped to perform in the show. At first, someone suggested the new theater, but when they realized that the amount of people that would be coming to watch would end up making the thing look like another Woodstock, they then realized that the campus of Kinkan would be needed just to hold everyone! Because of that association, they decided to call the thing "Artstock." It was to be a three-day fundraiser, with people from all over the entertainment industry. Many in the folk music scene wanted to show from all sorts of subgenres in that form, from Peter, Paul, and Mary to the Irish Rovers and the Dubliners. Many rock bands wanted to be involved, including Queen, Arrowsmith, Metallica, Kiss, and others. Even Weird Al wanted to get involved! Many in the world of dance and comedy wanted to be involved as well. It was going to be a star-studded event, and many of them Kinkan alumni who did not want to see their alma mater go down. There were even offers from opera's best that were accepted in a heartbeat, and Bobby McFerrin even wanted to come to do some Bach renditions in his styling, wanting very much to see the school make it. For him, a school that could produce something like the Pas De Six was worth seeing saved. Some in the orchestra that he conducted were alumni, and he could not deny them. However, none of this was without its watchful eye.

The Teen Titans, along with Batman, Nightwing, Wonder Woman, Superman, and the Flash, were a formidable presence on the campus. The only reason why this even happened was the fact that something like that had never been tried before, and thus they did not know for what to look. Now that they knew what they might face, they were being far more vigil. Normally, the Titans would have felt a bit put off by the presence of some of the Justice League, for they had always felt the need to prove themselves as heroes without having to "run to the grown-ups" whenever things got out of hand. In the meantime, once things were settled down, classes resumed with relish, but one thing that everyone noticed was the change in behavior of Rachel. Normally, she was quiet, emotionless, and spent most of her time reading or meditating. However, she was taking a keen interest in helping to put the fundraiser together, and she was beginning to put together a group of songs to sing for the show. Since this was a combination of the celebrities and the annual variety show, she wanted in. Normally, she would not be in on this, but she was now adamant about it. This, however, was noticed by Ahiru, and she just needed to know what was going on with her friend.

All the students were being housed in what the military called general purpose medium-sized tents—GP mediums for short—and they were being housed in about six of them: three for each gender. Rachel was in with Ahiru, and she watched as she was laboring over the songs, which were songs that were songs of hope. Normally, she listened to things that were fairly melancholy, and this was a switch for her. The only thing that was awkward for her was that she valued her privacy, and this was something with which her old roommates were familiar. She often had to leave the tent, just to find the peace she wanted. This was also noticed by Mai, who figured that she knew what was going on, and she wanted to help her. She guessed that it had something to do with her finding herself, and something with which she was familiar. Only the year before, she was an uncomfortable tomboy, but thanks to Mary's help, she had transformed into a model of femininity, though with a few of her old traits lingering. One particular day, Rachel wanted to go off to meditate and practice, and both Mai and Ahiru independently of each other wanted to see what they could do to help the girl come further out of her shell. Mai just wanted to talk, but Ahiru had other plans.

As Rachel walked out, Elly was just coming back from the stage area, after having added some Toulouse Lautrec effects to the set for the Paris number that the Pas De Six and their friends were concocting. She saw Rachel leaving, and then watched as Mai and Ahiru followed behind her stealthily. For some reason, she smelled trouble, and she wanted to be sure that her friends were not about cause a scene. She also knew of the way that her friend Rachel had been acting, and she wanted to do what she could to help her after all the help Rachel had given her, including better health and the need for a whole new wardrobe, (which would have happened anyway due to the fire.) Thus, she used her own gifts and "vanished" in order to better follow the crew.

Rachel got to the Thinking Woods and began to meditate. Mai took a place to hide and wait for her to begin singing. Elly did not know what to do, considering that her "invisibility" did not work on Rachel. She could well see through her tricks. Thus, she also picked a spot to watch. Rachel then finished her meditation and then began to go through her repertoire, but she was so into it that she did not notice Mai slip up and sit on the stump before her to watch. After a couple of songs, Mai could not help but begin to dance to the singing. After about the third song, she then realized that she was not alone. She looked at the dancing figure before her, and at first, she wanted to reach out in anger. However, she had a better handle on her emotions than that, because she knew what would happen if they were left unchecked. The incident with the Saturday Night Killer was proof of that. Instead, she just looked at her indignantly, and with some frustration. She furrowed her brow, and said, "Are you done?"

Mai did not like the look she was receiving, but the look made her more frightened than angry. "I'm sorry, it's just that it was so beautiful that I could not help but dance," said Mai, sad, and with her head down.

Rachel then just sighed, and said, "Its okay, I just wanted to come out here…"

"…and think?" finished Mai in a question.

Rachel cocked her head, and Mai said, "This place is often called 'The Thinking Woods,' because it is often used by us as a place to practice or just think and blow off steam when things aren't going so well. However, because of recent events, many come back here in hopes of finding the White Swan, because she often comes here to help guide people's hearts."

"You know the White Swan?" asked Rachel.

"More than most people," responded Mai.

"Well, you're not her, and I do wish to have some privacy, so if you'll…" continued Rachel, but Mai would not have it, and said, "It's not good for you to brood over things. I think there are things you need to get off your chest and, though I'm not Princess Tutu, I am a good ear."

Rachel sighed heavily, and she said, "If you knew what it is that I must suppress, you would understand why I do not discuss it. If you knew what exists inside me, you would run in fear."

"It can't be all that bad," said Mai, not knowing that she was the Raven.

She sighed even heavier, and said, "Yes…it…can…be! Go…away!"

"Then tell me about it," came another very familiar voice. The two turned their heads quickly to see Princess Tutu standing there with a great smile on her face. She came up to Mai and said, "Its okay, I'll take over from here."

She smiled and stroked Mai's face, and had her go back to the campus. Once she was on her way, Tutu then said, "Dearest Raven, it seems there were more things with which you needed to deal than you revealed to me on the moon. Let me help you."

She then made the "dance with me" gesture, but Rachel, (now turning into Raven,) just stared at her. Finally, Raven said, "You don't want to come up in here. You may be finding more than you want."

"If I could root around in Joker's and Mr. Mind's heads and come out fine, I can handle this," said Tutu.

"They didn't have someone else living up there," said Raven quite frankly.

"Then perhaps I need to face him too," said Tutu, giving Raven a knowing look. However, Raven returned that with a look of, "Oh no you don't!"

"You must trust me," said Tutu, "Because this is going to be different than any other mind link than you have ever done to another. Please, dance with me."

Tutu offered her hand again, and with great reluctance, Raven finally took it.

Tutu found herself on a long road that seemed to be floating in the ethereal plane, and then led to a beautiful island. When she walked the road, she found, not one, but several Ravens standing there in a variety of colors. Each one had a different personality, and Tutu had to asked, "Who are all of you?"

"Who wants to know," said one angrily.

"Chill out! She's cool," said another that seemed more laid back.

"Oh, you're so pretty," said yet another.

"Yeah," laughed another, "if you like looking like a dancing tulip!"

Tutu smiled and said, "Ah! I understand now! You're all the emotions she represses!"

"That's right," said one that seemed sad, "She never lets us out!"

"What does she fear?" asked Tutu, genuinely curious.

"Please," asked one of them who seemed to cower a bit and stand to the back, "Don't ask that! You don't want to know."

"Oh, but I want to," said Tutu.

At that, what could best be described as Raven Prime stepped to the fore and said, "You are right: these are all my emotions."

"Then come and dance!" said Tutu, and some did, while others were not so certain. Tutu then had to ask, "What is this beautiful place?"

"This is Azra," answered Raven Prime, now speaking for the others, "This was where I was raised when my mother was rescued from Trigon. They taught me to use my powers for good."

"Oh, such a good memory!" exclaimed Tutu, "You never mentioned it before!"

"There are reasons," said Raven.

Tutu sensed the shift in emotions, and the Ravens that represented fear, sorrow, and anger all began to react. They said, "He caused us to destroy our home!"

As soon as that was said, the temperature dropped about ten degrees, and the paradise was replaced by a charred ruin. Raven then realized that it was some of the emotions that brought up this image, and she was angry that she had lost control of them. Tutu felt the sorrow, and the dance then shifted, as did the music, to reflect the scene. "No wonder you feel so forlorn," said Tutu, "For I would be very sorrowful if my home were destroyed. Yet, suppressing your emotions is not healthy, for you must come to terms with it, or it will consume your life."

The Raven that represented vengeance came up and pointed an accusatory finger at Raven Prime, and said, "She did all this, and she should pay!"

"Oh, please," said Tutu, "Someone as sweet as Raven could never have that kind of evil in her."

Then one of the Ravens approached, wearing all black, and that caused Raven Prime to stiffen. She then yanked away from Tutu in her mind, (though not outwardly,) and said, (along with Raven Anger,) "I told you that you did not want this. Now you dredged HIM up!"

What was approaching looked like the others, but her eyes were different. This Raven represented dark desires, and she had four red eyes instead of two, set in an over/under arrangement. It said in a deep male voice, "I am what she fears!"

The other Ravens disappeared, and the one in black began to transform before them. Now, looking like he was about 50 feet tall now, and floating in the ether just off the devastated island was the demon Trigon—Raven's father! This was being accompanied by the music from _The Firebird_ at this point, at a point of the ballet when there was fire and devastation. Trigon then laughed and thundered and said, "You foolish girl! What made you think you could come in here and take on the likes of me with your puny abilities?"

"Leave now, Tutu, and I can get him under wraps again!" said Raven, hoping to keep Tutu's mind from being fried, "You don't understand. I defeated him, but no matter what, because he is my father, a part of him lives in me, which is why I cannot let anyone get too close. He wants to live through me."

She was not an empath like Mytho, but when she was like this with someone, she could indeed do what Mytho could, and she looked at Trigon in curiosity. She started to probe, and he thundered, "HOW DARE YOU ROOT AROUND IN MY MIND!"

The island began to shake, but Tutu would not be deterred, and, in fact, she got a sly look on her face as she began to smile. "I root around in your mind, because it's really _Raven's_ mind!"

"WHAT!" he thundered, "I am Trigon!"

"Wrong!" snapped Tutu in return, "You represent everything that she thinks she is guilty of, and really is not."

Raven was now horrified, considering that no mortal other than her and the Titians ever took such impertinence with him and lived to tell about it. What Raven did not realize was that, even though it was the part of her that was her father, it was still a part of her. This was something that Tutu was going to make clear. Raven tried to protest, and said, "Please, Tutu, don't do this: he'll destroy you!"

Tutu spun around and said, "No, he won't—I guarantee it!"

Raven tried to use her own abilities to stop her, and as she did, Trigon began to move. However, Raven underestimated that of which Tutu was capable. With some pirouette piques, the area upon which they stood filled with plants, putting Raven in a cage, as Tutu said, "Raven, watch and learn, because you will see the reason why he cannot and will not destroy me."

The whole area looked like life rising from the dead, and Tutu arose on a vine column after turning some grand fouettes. She now looked Trigon in the face, and she snapped, "Why should I fear someone who should be dead and defeated?"

Trigon's eyes began to glow, and he became enraged, as he thundered, "YOU SHALL SOON LEARN WHY, SUBCREATURE!"

He brought his hands up to try and slap her like a fly, but all his hands did was cup around her, as if he tried to crush her, but could not do it. "WHAT? HOW?" he muttered, and he strained, but his hands flung off as he was shoved backwards. Tutu was now surrounded by her astral swan, but because this was internal, it would not sap her strength. Trigon's hands were now cut, and he could not understand why. However, Raven screamed, and looked at her hands, and they were cut in the same way. Her healing abilities were closing them, but at the same time, Trigon's cuts were closing as well. He looked upon Tutu, now with fans in her hands, surrounded by her swan aura, and she had a determined look on her face. "Stop this nonsense!" Tutu said firmly, "Why would you want to fight your friend?"

"I AM NOT YOUR FRIEND!" he thundered, and he tried to swipe her off the column, but she was gone in a flash. In the next instant, Tutu was as large as he, in a ballet pose that represented preparation for combat. Tutu then said, "I am your friend! You must remember this!"

"Remember a friendship we never had?" asked Trigon, "That is foolish!"

He shot flames at her, but she pirouetted out of the way and executed a leg sweep on him. He fell and reacted as if he had hit the ground, though there seemed to be nothing below them. As that happened, Raven also fell and hit the bottom of her cage. She could not understand what was causing this to happen to her, and Trigon stood just as she did. Trigon was now enraged, wondering how he had been so easily taken down. He charged, thundering, "FOOL! IN HERE, **I** AM THE MASTER OF EVERYTHING!"

Tutu did a jette over him, and followed that up with a spinning roundhouse to the back of his head. He spun and hit the ground hard. Raven reacted in the same way and felt dizzy. She could not understand it. Tutu then said, "Please stop, you are my friend, and you are making me hurt you!"

"NO!" thundered Trigon, "YOU CANNOT BE THAT POWERFUL! I AM TRIGON! I HOLD GREAT POWER, AND YOU CANNOT DEFEAT ME! THE FOOLISH TITANS THOUGHT THEY DID, BUT HERE I AM!"

He tried the flame trick again, but this time, Tutu used her fans and astral aura to block the flames, and then to send them back. When that happened, Raven screamed, and Tutu said, "Please, figure it out! Can you not see who I really fight? You can control this, and make it work for you."

"NO ONE CONTROLS ME!" screamed Trigon, and he charged again, but this time Tutu was through playing. She caught him in an arm drag take down and she put a fan to Trigon's throat. Raven did the same flip, and suddenly they were in the real world, with Raven on the ground, nose bloodied, with one of Tutu's fans at her throat. Raven was now breathing hard, and she now realized why Tutu so easily defeated Trigon. She realized something that Raven was just now figuring out. Raven relaxed and Tutu snapped her fans closed as she helped Raven up. "You see," said Raven, "Just because he was your father, and left something of him in you because he was your father, then that does not mean that it is its own entity that can control you."

"But…but he is what gave me my abilities," Raven said, confused.

"That is right, and that is the part of him that is in you," responded Tutu, "Yet, just because that is the case does not mean that he controls you."

"But you don't understand," said Raven, now sounding like she was begging Tutu to stop, "That spirit will take over when my emotions take over. You saw what happened not too long ago!"

"Was that him?" asked Tutu, "Or was that you? You see, when Trigon and I fought, what I was really fighting was your darker side with which you have made no effort to cope, and thus, you were really fighting me. We all have a darker side, even I do, which may surprise you to hear. However, just because that is in you, it does not mean that you do not have power over it. You are the one that can choose to use it. If you have such emotional control as you say, then when those feelings come up that want you to use your darker side, you can control that, and not do something that you should not, like last time. It then cam be a powerful weapon for you."

Raven thought it over, and then she said, "Link with me again," and they did. When they did, she faced Trigon the same size as he. Tutu stood beside her, and they both had their astral auras around them—Tutu with her swan, and Raven with the raven silhouette—and Trigon, more than likely with a look of terror for the first time in his existence, had a look of terror on his face. Raven then spoke, but when she did, it had the sound of many voices instead of one. She said, "You are dead, and being so, have no more power over me! You may be me, but that does not mean that _**I**_ have to do as you did!"

The area around started to brighten again, and Azra started to come back to life. Trigon started to scream, but Raven uttered, "_Azra Metrion Zynthos_!"

With that, her hands shot forward, and the astral raven shot forth and started to wrap him up like a cocoon. Soon, his screams were silenced, and when the cocoon faded, it returned to the form that it had when it first showed up. It then took a knee before Raven, and it said, "I am your servant! Do with me as you will!"

When that happened, they were once again in the Thinking Woods, and for the first time in a long time, Raven was shedding tears, but these were tears of joy. Tutu and Raven embraced, and Raven then said, "That does not mean that I'll be going to the mall with the girls and getting my hair done."

After looking at Tutu seriously, they both began to laugh like old school chums. However, they both stiffened when they heard a new voice speak—a calm, sinister one. "How touching! You could give Dr. Phil competition, fairy princess."

They looked over to see Slade standing there, holding Mai in front of him, with an arm around her neck. She was struggling in vain and crying. He had caught her coming out, and decided to use her as a guarantee that he would not be attacked when he delivered his ultimatum. Raven knew well who this was, and she furrowed her brow, saying, "Slade, I swear, if you harm her…"

"Fear not, Raven," he said, "She will not be harmed if you two behave. I just needed to deliver a message. You and your school shall leave this area, as well as the town folk. Stop this foolish show, and no one gets hurt. If not, there will be blood."

The astral raven began to form over Raven now, and she was saying, "You know I can attack you and get her away before you can blink!"

"And I know you're not that foolish to risk it," said Slade in return.

However, a voice that seemed to appear in his head said, "But I am."

Out of nowhere, a hefty oaken branch that seemed to have two astral arms holding it came right across his face—HARD! He went down in a heap, not hurt per se due to the mask, but still rattled, as Mai fled to Tutu's arms. The branch was now on the ground beside him, and the voice said again, "Leave now or face your doom!"

"Who are you!" he said angrily.

"I am the Shadow," the voice said, "and I know the evil that lurks in the hearts of all people! Crime does not pay, fool! Try to hurt anyone, and you shall feel my wrath!"

He started to look all around, trying to get a fix on the voice, and trying to use the scanners in his mask to locate this "shadow." However, despite the scanners trying to tell him where that person was, because of the effect of Elly's abilities, he could not see it. He kipped up and said, "Only a fool fights in a burning house! You have not heard the last of this. You have all signed your death warrants!"

He fled the area, and Elly was then able to be seen as she said to the others, "I don't know who this clown is, but I sooooooooooooo pray he tries to pull something!"

Tutu smiled and said, "But dear Elly, I thought you did not want to do this kind of thing."

Elly smiled and looked sheepish, saying, "It kind of grows on you."

They all smiled and gave her a knowing look, and Elly just rolled her eyes as she laughed and said, "Just don't advertise it, okay?"

They all laughed as they headed back. They had a show to do.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

It was now time for the fundraiser, starting on a Friday at 8 in the morning, and it was to run to midnight Sunday night. It was picked up by the world of public broadcasting so that there would be no breaks in the performances, no annoyances, and that the number for turning in pledges would be able to come in for the whole time. However, because there were some celebrities around the world that had graduated from that school, they pressed for one network or another in their countries to pick up the show, and they picked up the fee for a small donation to public broadcasting, and now the thing was going worldwide. The pledges were going to be much larger than what could come in for a telethon on the national level. Yet, they were not the only ones watching with a keen interest.

Luthor was on the phone with Savannah, and he said, "So, what do you have in mind?"

"Don't worry, because we have our man on it," said the doctor.

"I assume it was the same one that masterminded the burning of the property in the first place?" responded Luthor.

"He was highly successful, and I imagine he could be so again."

"True, you did not fail on your end of things. I cannot wait to see what kind of toys he's going to be bringing this time."

"When do you want them released?"

"Don't worry; I'll let you know when to let them out. Once you see some others joining you—some of Slade's compliment, and the Brotherhood of Evil, it will be time. In the meantime, I expect a very entertaining show. Why disturb that? Let them gain some hope, and then we can smash their dreams. They will rue the day they ever decided to mess with Lex Luthor."

The show started off with Queen coming out to do the Star Spangled Banner in they way that they knew how to do it. They wanted this because, since they had been so successful with "God Save the Queen," they figured they would give this a shot. They then decided to do "Dawn" from _Also __Spracht__Zarathustra__._ The host of the show came out, and then announced that they would start with what should have been the fall variety show, giving people the first hand look at what the school had to offer. During that, the Pas De Six came out with the others that were involved, and they did their Paris number as they had planned. Rue, Mytho, Billy, and Ahiru dove into their number from _An American in Paris_ with relish. This was followed by the dance _a __l'apache_, as done by Fakir and Mary. It had always been hard for the two of them to do this number, because their love for each other had only grown as they had been separated. However, they had had the time to really let that blossom since they were allowed to be together again. As time had passed, they seemed to become as one entity, and they being described as joined at the hip became a common phrase. Thus, when it came to this dance, it was rough. To do this, they had to be violent with one another, and though they pulled it as much as they could, they sometimes had to make contact, and that hurt their hearts more than the slap. Because of this, there were worries that they could not pull this off. Yet, they proved that they were professionals, and pulled it off believably. Still, when they went backstage, Fakir was begging her for forgiveness, hoping that she wasn't hurt. This put her into a _laughing fit_! When he asked why this was, she explained that she was about to ask the same thing, and he beat her to the punch. They embraced and kissed, but just long enough for her to make the change and join the girls for the Can-Can.

The Can-Can started, and they all threw themselves into it with fervor, demonstrating that the actual performance that they would do to this day at the Moulin Rouge is more than just a kick line. There was much in the way of gymnastic type of moves, pairs and trio work, and much in the way of teamwork and coordination. Yes, the kicking was there, but it was a minor part compared to everything else involved. They were able to demonstrate that, at the time the dance was originally presented, the showing of legs, even in pantaloons was very risqué, and added that touch that made it quite French in flavor. Calls from Paris were flooding in at this point, and it added a great boost to the pledges. After it was done, there was celebrating and dancing for how well they did, and so much so, that they did the haka again backstage. This got the acts that followed pumped up, and they went out and attacked the show with zeal. What happened next, though, was something to be remembered.

Starfire went out and did one of her native dances, (which, by the way, mirrored ballet to where it could not be told which dance was which,) as danced to _Anitra's Dance, _to the point where every guy's tongue was on the ground. She finished, and everyone was on their feet. When she finally was allowed to leave the stage, she was greeted warmly by the team, and she said, "Oh, I never expected to receive the ovation that is standing!"

This was followed by Rachel, who let loose with her repertoire, but it was not just the songs of hope that she sang that sold it. She sang it with a point of view of someone who had been set free from great burdens, and everyone was eating out of the palm of her hand. The other Titians who were disguised as students did their thing, and then this was followed by the modern dance department, who had decided to do hook up with the jazz department and do some jitterbug. Tim and Cassandra were in on that one, and they were letting loose. However, the Pas De Six were so caught up into the thing that they could not help but join them, especially when Uzzura was front and center in the percussion section, letting loose with her skill. She was so human to this point, that no one could have figured she was just a doll…and she was having the time of her life. To finish the show, there was a Grande Finale that involved doing _Shake a Tail Feather_ which brought the house down.

After a short intermission to ask for pledges, the Fall Festival show was done, and Tanya's concept of _Fantasia Live_ was received with full enthusiasm from the crowd. The first half finished off with _Night on Bald Mountain,_ and the second half finished with the spring scene as done to music from _The Firebird_. However, they did it a bit differently, as they had two maidens of spring for that—Starfire and Nana. Ever since they hit it off in the class, they had grown closer, and Nana gained much in zeal and skill from Starfire to where Nana was now _en Pointe_! They danced so well, you would have thought that the two were mother and daughter. After it was over, Nana was excited and filled with endorphins to the point where she could not calm herself. "Come, my little quipnar," said Starfire, "You must calm yourself! After this is over, and I am done with the charade once the school is safe, we can to the painting of the nails, and go to the mall of shopping!"

In both acts, the special effects crew outdid themselves, and the kids who were in the stagecraft department knew they would be getting an A that semester!

At this, the professional acts came in to do their thing, and this was the point that the kids who were in the Titans, and the Pas De Six, (along with Elly,) cleaned themselves up and prepared to patrol before taking some rest. They were exhausted, but they also knew that keeping things secure was just as important as the fundraiser. They were thus willing to make the sacrifices, and they went out. They were happy to find that things were blissfully quiet, and they took their rest when the Justice Leaguers took over. Despite the racket outside, they slept soundly.

The show progressed into the next day, with each act contributing fairly well giving full concerts on their sets. The kids woke up the next day to see the tote board, and the total was already over a billion dollars, not just because of worldwide donations, but many rich patrons of the arts who wanted to see the school continue were dropping in the big bucks. Corporations worldwide also threw their hats into the ring, and they were making the cash registers sing as well. By Sunday night, they could be will into the tens of billions, if not more!

By sunset that Sunday evening, the whole fundraiser was to be capped off with a show by the Pas De Six, and it would be done with various others that had performed previously doing a number here and there with them as they danced and sang. Since this was to be a four hour set, they had it arranged as to where they all had points where the others could take breaks while others did solos or did combinations. Peter, Paul, and Mary were the highlight of the act when they did an all music set, and they blended in as they went through the folk music repertoire. As the end of the show was approaching, they finished off with a pas de six as done to Ravel's Bolero. This was the show stopper! The beautiful thing about the whole show was that, though people came and went, the majority stayed. It seemed that there were about 145,000 people present, but the full attendance count went into the hundreds of thousands, and they all donated as well. It came time to tell the final total, and suddenly the communicators of the teen heroes were going off.

Outside, the Justice Leaguers were watching things, and that's when they saw the approach of the most futuristic looking devices coming at them. They looked like giant spiders with large guns all over them. Going before them were villains like Cinder Block, Madame Rouge, other villains of the Brotherhood of Evil, the Hive Headmaster, Plasmas, Adonis, all ready to deal pain and trouble. Immediately, Batman was on the horn to the kids and said, "Keep everyone calm if you can, and then join us, because we are going to need the help!"

Immediately, the heroes were making their changes, just as the MC was getting ready to announce the final tote. "Alright ladies and gentlemen, before we read this, let's have just one more round of applause for every performer that graced this stage tonight!"

This was followed by the thunderous applause and standing approval of all present. After it calmed down, he said, "And now, thanks to the contributions worldwide, this school is going to stand for a long time!"

However, a silky, sinister voice came over the PA system, and the voice said, "You speak prematurely, my good man! Tonight, this school is done forever!"

Robin heard that, and said, "SLADE! What is he doing here?"

However, Tutu did not stick around to give an answer. She was already bound for the stage. Just as people were beginning to move around in such a fashion as a bunch of cattle getting ready to pounce, Princess Tutu took the stage and the mic, saying, "Please, friends, fear not! He gives idle threats, but know that the Justice League and the Teen Titans are here with us to help put down this threat! The safest place to be is here! Please, no one be worried!"

With that, a prominent comedian took to the stage and started into some improvised entertainment, keeping the crowd under control. Slade did not account for this, because panic would have been the perfect thing. He was about to try again, but by this point, Blue Beetle and Cyborg had already done a trace to where the feed was cutting in, and then cut it off. Now Slade was upset. The robots would be strong, but they were more to cause panic. Now they would have to face the heroes along with those that he had brought. "No matter," he thought, "I'll just have to take and teach the little ballet brat a lesson."

However, another individual in the crowd wearing a U.S. Cavalry hat was making his way to one of the general purpose tents, knowing that a possible million dollar payday awaited him. If there were others of Slade's ilk involved, he might be able to make bank and retire that one night!

In the meantime, the Justice Leaguers were attacking. Madame Rouge thought that she was going to make an impact on the crowd, but she ran into the last person she wanted to meet that night. "Hi, Rougie!" said the Flash, "I hear you're fast, but can you catch the fastest man alive!"

She had the ability to shape shift and stretch, and many heroes had trouble with her, because, sometimes an attack would go forth, but she would just shift in such a fashion as to merely allow the attack to pass through. Her lightning speed with her stretching had overcome many, but the Flash was a different issue. Every time she tried to attack, he was always one step ahead of the situation. "What's the matter, Rougie?" asked Flash, "I thought you were bad or something."

She was becoming enraged, and began to stretch throughout the forest, which was Flash's aim. He had her so confused in the dark that she did not know what was going on. Before long, she was indeed stretched to her limits, and tied into knots! Normally, she would just pull herself together, but this exhausted her so that she just passed out right there.

Claire was making her way in, but was confronted by Adonis, who, in reality, was just some skinny man wearing an outfit that made him super strong, and made him look like a hulking maniac. When he caught sight of Claire, he said, "Ha! A puny girl; is that all they have to send after me?"

"Oh, really darling?" asked Claire, "Then, if I am that puny, why not teach me a fine lesson?"

He charged forward, but he was no fighter, relying on his muscle to get the job done. Claire used her enhanced strength and agility to make him look like a stumbling fool. He kept crashing into trees, falling down, doing more damage to himself than one could inflict. He shouted, "Stop running, you coward, and fight!"

"Oh, I absolutely will, darling," said Claire, as two fans appeared in her hands. He charged in again, and then heard the sound of screeching metal as a large gash was cut into his chest. They started the exchanged, but he did not realize that he was facing someone with Amazon blood. His armor was functioning, but the superstructure was taking bad hits. "You can't be beating me!" he shouted, but Claire said, "I can, and I am, idiot!"

This was followed by a hail of feather darts that were striking in all the joints and actuators. Suddenly, he could not move, and this was made worse by the black vines now growing and entangling him, getting tighter and tighter. As they did, his armor was now crumbling, and it fell apart around him as the vines now restrained him. "You're the one to talk about being fair, cheater!" said Claire, "Hang tight for me, would you dear?"

Wonder Woman had a gorilla in front of her, but this one spoke with a French accent and was intelligent—one Monsieur Malla. "It is too bad that you could not prevent yourself from entangling yourself in our affairs, mon cheri. It is regrettable that I shall now be forced to pummel you."

"You can try if you like, Monkey Boy!" said Wonder Woman, which got Malla riled. "Mock me not, human!" he shouted and went to strike, but Wonder Woman merely got out of the way. She then threw the massive ape as if her were a child. He landed hard, but he was up again. Parry and throw, parry and throw, the two went at it. However, after one throw, Malla came up with a large bolder, and then was promptly tackled by another ape—colored green. That ape said, "You didn't learn from the Doom Patrol, and you haven't learned now. What makes people say you're so intelligent anyway?" said Beast Boy, who got great approval from Wonder Woman from the assist. Yet, Malla was on his feet, and getting ready to charge, when he suddenly found a golden lasso around him, and he was now as docile as a snail. "Now, tell me who's controlling the robots, and who is in charge of this."

Being that, in that lasso, he could not lie, he said, "Savannah is bankrolling this, but the one controlling the robots is one Otto Drosselmyer, and he's over there."

That was all a certain set of ears needed to hear, as she made her way through the fight.

Cinder Block was having all he could handle from Robin, as Cyborg, Blue Beetle, and Red Devil were making short work of the army of ground robots that were coming in. Superman, the Marvels, and Starfire were smashing the large walkers like they were toys. Drosselmyer had designed them for destroying property and causing tragedy in crowds. He never expected this! General Immortus was leading the robots, and ran smack into Raven. He leveled his Sturmgeweher at her and opened fire, but a black dome covered her, and protected her from the bullets. "You can't take that forever, child," he said, but that was before a red, white, blue, and gold image appeared before him and blocked the bullets with her bracelets, after which Wonder Woman snatched the rifle from him. He, however, shot past her at Raven, saying, "You could not certainly destroy someone who can live forever!"

Suddenly four red eyes appeared under her hood where two glowing white once were, as she moaned, "_Azra Metrion Zynthos!_"

She stared to lift off the ground as the black mist rolled out from underneath her. She then said in many voices, "I don't have to destroy you to take you out!"

She now knew how to use this to her advantage, and she was going to insure that he was so terrified that even Arkham would not take him in the madness she was about to cause.

Meanwhile, the Hive Headmaster, Brother Blood, was seeking to try to ambush Tutu, who was entangling both walker and robot alike in the forest foliage when he caught two boots in the gut. He staggered back, but not far. The Chess Knights now stood before him, and he laughed, saying, "I have faced the best of heroes. What makes you two think you can defeat me?"

They looked at each other, and then pulled their swords and said, "We pack a punch."

With that, they attacked, but Brother Blood was keeping them at bay with the bracers on his wrist. Although they were giving him a time, he just chuckled and smiled, waiting for an opening. He was indeed toying with them. Once they left him and opening, he parried both of them off and sent the two after each other in such a fashion that they both had to put on the brakes lest they skewer each other. "Mere students: what makes you think you can beat me?"

However, he did not see what came behind as a Batarang struck the back of his head and brought him to his knees. "If you don't like the students, try the teacher," growled Batman as he came in. Brother blood was out of it, but not entirely. He was up quickly and he wheeled around to confront a charging Batman, when he found two boots to the back. That knocked him off balance as Batman clotheslined him. He flipped onto the ground hard, and when he started to come up, all groggy, Batman cold-cocked him and put him down for the count.

At that precise moment, Drosselmyer was watching everything crumble around him. He did not expect this, and he kicked himself for not taking all this into account. He was starting to try to leave when a small rock hit him in the back of the head. "Ow!" he screamed out in pain, but when he wheeled around to try to see what hit him, it happened again. Before he knew it, he was being pelted with rocks from all directions. He was now screaming in pain, saying, "Please, ghost, phantom, or whatever you are; please don't torment an old man!"

A voice spoke right into his head with a sinister laugh, saying, "You want mercy? Do you deserve it, hehehehe!"

"What are you!" he said, now stumbling around, hitting limbs and tripping over stumps and roots, to which the answer came, "I know the evil that lurks in the hearts of all."

He was but a small boy when he had heard tales of the Shadow, but he thought he was long gone. This sounded like a female, though, and he wondered if this was his daughter, granddaughter, or some other relative. "I thought you were gone?" he said, swinging wildly, hoping to get lucky and hit him, her, or it.

"I am never gone," she said, "I am the Shadow, and again I ask: why should you get mercy?"

"TORMENT ME NOT!" she screamed now, but Shadow was not through, "You tried to kill every student on that campus! You tried to cause people to die tonight! Why should I let you leave these woods alive?"

He was about to run again when he heard a twig crack right next to him, and it was not his foot! He reached out and managed to grab her hoody. At this, she lost her focus and materialized. He held her fast, surprised at the strength of the old man. He was not the frail and helpless man that he led people to believe. He then said, "Silly girl: you are not the Shadow, and you have to learn a lot. He carried two .45s, because he acted alone."

"That's because she does not need them," said another voice, and he looked up to see that Raven had materialized, and now hovered off the ground, cape spread, with her astral raven all around her. He let the Shadow go, and turned to run—right into a clothesline from Claire who had popped up behind him. He went down in a heap for the count. They then went to see if she was alright, and Claire said, "Elly, if you don't want to do this anymore, we could understand if…"

However, Elly cut them off, and said, "I got careless. Don't worry, because I think I'm catching the bug. He's right though, I need to carry a pair of equalizers."

"You certainly don't mean guns, do you?" asked Raven.

"Well, not that," she said, "But I… Wait! Where's Tutu?"

"What do you mean," asked Claire.

"She was right there," said Elly, pointing to where she had seen her. Claire tied up Otto in black vines, and the three were off to find out if she was with the others.

As Brother Blood was being restrained, White Knight stood straight up and said, "Tutu!"

He wheeled around and said, "She was right there," pointing to where she had stood. He then said, "I sense another presence with her, evil and twisted!"

Batman then said, "White Knight, come with me."

About this moment, Nightwing had managed to pull himself away from things to catch up to Batman. He then said, "Boss, what's up?"

"Follow me," said Batman, "It has to be Slade, and I will need your help."

However, he was to get more than he figured, as Magpie, who had now caught up to the action saw his paydays had been taken, but he happened to catch Slade come up and ambush Tutu, and knock her out. As soon as he saw that, he went after them—not just to collect a payday, but also to save the poor girl from a fate worse than death. At the same time, Blue Beetle suddenly noticed, "Hey, I lost my tazers!"

Cyborg just said, "Hey, it happens, I can make you a couple more."

What he did not realize was that a certain shadow of a girl had come up, snatched them, and went after the group. There was no way this masked creep was going to hurt her friend and roommate. All these creeps had taken much from her—her home, clothes, artwork, well-being—and she would rather be damned to Hell then to see the loss of Tutu. Slade did not realize it, but roving death was on his tail!

7


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Slade did not understand why Luthor would have wanted to go for such a grand display, considering that there were many better ways that were not as loud and vulgar. What he was doing at that point was a far better method. Kidnapping and ransom are far more effective. He could not believe the opportunity that presented itself when he stumbled onto the White Swan he had heard so much about and there for the taking. Her back was turned as she was entangling and crushing robot after robot in the foliage that seemed to spring up out of nowhere. A simple blow to the back of the head was all that was needed, and that was that. Once he had her somewhere, he would then set up the terms about shutting down the school, as well as the fundraiser money going to him, and it would all be done. Of course, he knew they would be out for her in force, but once he had a defensible position, he would make it impossible for rescue. In that time, he would do all he could to warp the girl's mind and get her to serve him. He knew that there was the danger of her making flesh on flesh contact, because she could then pick his mind and subdue him. However, he would wear the armor around her and make it impossible for that to happen.

As he moved along in the forest, Slade came across what looked like a cave, but by the looks of it, it looked like that theater of which Luthor spoke, and considering how things were in there, it would be the perfect place. He saw the marquee which read, "Opening night December 12th for the Kinkan Christmas Spectacular: Grand Opening."

"It looks like the premier is going to be a bit sooner," said Slade as he came up to the doors. After a moment or two of investigation, found the security systems, disabled them with the devices in his armor, and then entered. He saw that everything was indeed set to go, and he took her to the auditorium. Once on the stage, he made his way up to the flies, and loosed one of the ropes. To the end of the one over the stage he tied fast one Princess Tutu, and then dangled her about fifteen feet above the stage. He then would wait to ambush the initial rescue unit. Once they were vanquished, he would then set up the defenses for any further attempts to rescue her. "Luthor, you have much to learn," said Slade, as he began to ponder how he was going to find the dirt on him and then hold that for ransom and get more out of this deal than Luthor thought he was going to make. He would be soon to learn that Slade was not some hired thug, or that he felt any need to feel any kind of brotherhood with any other so-called villains. He was out for himself—pure and simple.

In the woods now tailing Slade were at least three possibilities for rescue. The first was White Knight, Batman, and Nightwing. Not too far behind them was the Magpie, and unseen by any of them was the Shadow. White Knight was following the emotion patterns of Slade. Slade had no idea that an empath was tracking his every move, and he said, "You will not believe this, but I believe he is heading right for the new theater."

"That would be about his speed," said Nightwing, "He likes trying to mentally torment his foes before he does so physically."

"It sounds like you have dealt with him a lot," said White Knight.

"When I was still the original Robin, and leader of the Teen Titans as Tim is now," responded Nightwing, "I had to tangle with him more than I would have cared. He indeed only cared about himself, but he was all about trying to turn to evil those that chased him, rather than just defeating him. In his way of thinking, it was a sweeter victory, and it made him feel powerful."

"In other words," pondered White Knight, "He does not see himself as a crook as much as he sees himself as a demigod."

"That's about the size of it," said Batman, "However, I am the last one he hopes to see there."

"I sense in your emotions a rush of satisfaction," said White Knight.

"That's because I would love nothing more than to show him that all he is, is an overgrown bully,  
answered Batman, "He goes after weaker and younger targets, not just because he feels it's easier to defeat them, but also because he figures it's easier to bend their minds. All he tries to do with someone like me is defeat me, because he knows such silky and sinister words would be lost on me. Don't get me wrong, he's a hard fighter, almost on par with me, so remember that. However, do not let him mess with your head, because it's all a deception: many lies mixed in with enough truths to get you to believe that he is right and you are wrong."

"That would be difficult with me," said White Knight, "Because I can sense when someone is feeding me a line. No matter how hard he tries to subdue his emotions, he cannot hide them from me—guaranteed."

"Then let's be ready," said Batman, "And use that sword at full strength. He wears body armor, but that does not mean that strong blows with it will not rattle him around in it and do some damage that way. You may be able to disrupt some of his sensors that he uses to aid him in the fight."

Magpie was not too far behind, and he figured that he was undetected, and indeed he was. However, White Knight took a second to rest his mind and picked up Magpie's patterns. White knight then said, "We're being followed."

Magpie knew that he could not remain hidden, so he moved along through the trees above them and landed in front of them. Batman was on the move quickly, yet the Magpie was fast proving that he was equal to the task of tangling with Batman. After about 30 seconds of sparing, Batman pulled back and said, "You have no intention of hurting us."

"Of course not," said Magpie, "Besides, what told you that?"

"It was the fact that you took no offensive stance, and contented yourself on merely parrying my attacks," answered Batman, "Who are you?"

"I am called the Magpie," he said, "I am a bounty hunter."

Batman took a second, and said, "Ah, I know Oracle, and she has spoken of you."

"Not to much and nothing bad, I hope," queried Magpie.

"Are you out for one now?" asked Nightwing.

"It seems that all the ones I could have taken were subdued before I could get to them," responded Magpie, "He's the only one left."

"Do you think you can take him?" asked White Knight.

"For the million dollar bounty on him, I can climb Everest!" boasted Magpie.

Batman smiled and said, "Well, stick with us, and then you can see if you can prove this."

Tutu came to feeling sore and groggy. However she was feeling disoriented, because she could feel nothing underneath her, and her arms and ribs hurt. She finally and fully came to, and then she realized what had happened. She was tied from shoulder to wrist tightly, and hanging over a familiar stage. Once she realized what was happening, the blue and purple lights came up on the stage, and she realized that she was in her own theater. A voice came over the sound system saying, "Well, well, well, isn't this ironic: the likes of you held hostage in a place that is essentially your throne room—the stage."

In her way of being stern, (which was not often too intimidating,) she said, "I demand you let me go!"

A soft chuckle was heard, and then Slade said, "I find it odd that you make such demands when you are not exactly in a position to demand anything."

She was about to plead, but before she could, he said, "And now here comes the part when you plead for release, and next you will beg. It's all the same, and I would hate you to waste your energy."

Now Tutu was becoming cross, and she was about to speak again, but again she was cut off as Slade said, "Next, you're going to say, 'My friends shall come and stop you,' but I was expecting that. In fact, I want that. Before you say, 'I have powerful friends,' have you ever considered my power? No one usually does."

"What do you…?" Tutu started to say, but Slade interrupted and said, "…want with you? That could be simple, but that depends on you. Consider for a moment your so-called friends."

Tutu started to struggle, but all it did was cause her to start to rotate. However she was facing the main cyclorama and Slade was now putting up slides of both the Pas De Six and the Secret Six, saying, "You think these dancers even care about you? They're famous dancers who only care about money."

"That's not true!" she screamed now, "Be quiet."

Slade would not relent. He then said, "And do you think that your team even care. Look at you!"

Slade had brought along news clips of their exploits in case he was able to capture one of them, and now he had the chance. He had analyzed what he could use against each one, and it seemed that Princess Tutu would be the easiest. "Look at how you hold yourself when you fight," he said, "You stay to the back, and you are reluctant to fight. You only do so when you are pushed. How do you expect to fight and stand against the likes of me?"

"SHUT UP!" she was saying, and she desperately wanted to plug her ears, but that was out of the question. She was starting to cry, because, despite how much she realized what he was trying to do, there was a ring of truth to it. "Watch, dear princess," said Slade, "How much longer would your friends tolerate such a weakling around who tries to dance her foes into submission, and does nice little plant tricks? How much longer would they tolerate a team member who could not pull her weight?"

"STOP IT!" she pleaded, "STOPITSTOPITSTOPIT!"

Another soft chuckle was heard, except this time it was from right underneath her. Slade had made his way to the stage, and changed the light hues to yellows and pinks. "My dear child, did you ever consider that you would be wasting your time with them?" asked Slade, "Consider this: with you as my apprentice, you could learn how to use your abilities much more effectively. I sense that you have power that you haven't even yet tapped into. I can bring that out. I sense by the way you are that, as your alter ego, you have been a weak, awkward girl, but you have your strength through a way that I have yet to understand, but accept nonetheless. Join me!"

She was desperately in tears at this point, wishing him to be silent. She knew all that had to be lies, but how could she deny the things she knew to be weaknesses for her? She suddenly wished that she had the ability to teleport like Claire or Raven, but she was stuck. "Trust me, princess, I can give you all that they never could."

"You can't care," she said, "You're evil! You don't have a caring bone in your body!"

"Oh, you know that can't be true," said Slade, in a tone that sounded consoling, "If that was the case, I could have done away with you a long time ago."

His tone turned a bit more firm, and he said, "I am giving you a grand opportunity. Join me, and put all your so-called friends behind. Show them that you are not to be underestimated any…"

It was then he was cut off by a sword blow to the face, followed by a familiar voice declaring, "That was a gift to her from her so-called friend!"

Slade's ears were ringing with the blow off the mask, and he grunted in pain as the White Knight stood before him. "Silence, idiot!" exclaimed White Knight, "Do you even think she would believe your pack of lies?"

"Oh, but they are not…" but White Knight hit him in the mid-section with the sword, followed up by a leg sweep. However, Slade kipped up rather quickly, and he said, "Ah yes, the White Knight—foolish boy! You have got to be the most taken for granted on that team of yours. They have no idea how valuable you are. Why do you…"

Slade was cut off by the bright flash of a magnesium flare pellet, and this was followed up by several blows of sword and feet, as White Knight said, "Your emotional shift in your words speak of ulterior motives. You care NOTHING for ANYONE—only what you can get out of them!"

It was then, as Slade was regaining sight that he remembered that White Knight was an empath, and there was no pulling the wool over his eyes. "Fine then," said Slade, "Then I guess I am going to have to show you how to fight. Do you think I cannot handle the White Knight?"

Before he could answer, White Knight saw behind Slade, knowing the tactic had worked. A voice came from behind him saying, "Then how about the Dark Knight?"

When they had entered the building, they heard the speaking over the sound system and her cries as the acoustics of the theater and cave carried well. They then set up the plan: White Knight keeps him busy, Batman strikes from behind, and Nightwing and the Magpie loose Tutu. Now the plan was going forward, but Slade was not going down that easy. Rather than waste words on someone like Batman, he just did a counter maneuver and threw him over at White Knight. However, White Knight rolled with it and monkey flipped Batman in such a fashion that he landed on his feet. Before Slade could act, Nightwing dropped down in front of him, and said, "And now it's time for paybacks!"

"Do I know you?" asked Slade.

"Better than you think, and more than you care to know," said Nightwing, as he pulled out his Escrima sticks and started in on Slade. After some exchanges, Slade figured out the style standing before him, and he said, "Ah, you must have once been Robin," said Slade, "I recognize your fighting style, and your all grown up! I say, you have improved, but not as much as you could have under me. I could have loved you like a father!"

Suddenly, Nightwing ducked as a large boot impacted his mask, and he went flying off the stage into the orchestra pit. Nightwing shouted down, saying, "No thank you—I already have one!"

Slade was aslo able to see up above them, and that is when he saw that someone had freed Tutu. He jumped out of the pit into the audience area and saw that the Magpie was ushering out Tutu. "NO!" he thundered, and he said, "I have no time to play with you three. He is making off with my new apprentice!"

At that, he then demonstrated that the other three were not the only ones with a bag of tricks. He used his armor to set up a smoke screen, and he was quickly off to try to intercept his prey.

After they finished choking, they immedately headed out the door, trying to get a bead on him. White Knight said, "He is going that way, but from what I can also sense, I would not worry too much. He's heading into some dark woods, and there are about three that are going to give him headaches."

"Three?" asked Batman, "But I saw..."

"I sense three," said White Knight, "The Magpie, Princess Tutu...and one very determined Shadow."

Batman knew that name, and wondered if this Shadow was as good as the other, because if he or she was, Slade was in for the fight of his life. Batman then said, "He's soon to have four. You two stay here if he decides to come back this way. I'm going after him."

Slade was trying to get a bead on his target, when a black and white blur came out of nowhere and hit him with both of his feet. Slade had never seen this one before, and he then said, "Do you people produce superheroes by the sackfull?"

They started to engage, and Slade soon found himself with his hands full. This person was hitting him with a quick and efficient style of fighting that did not indicate any one style, which made it harder for Slade to counter. Because he was wearing the armor, it made it easy to endure the fight, but that did not mean he was not getting rattled around in it. That in itself was as good as the blows that struck him. Finally, Magpie left Slade an opening, and he caught Magpie with a hard one to the stomach. Magpie went down in pain, and Slade moved in to try to finish him off when he was tackled by Batman. "Now we find out just how good you are!" snapped Batman, and they went at it. For about a good ten minutes they clashed, neither one getting the better of the other. While that was going on, Magpie started to fade back into the woods again, hoping to use his knowledge of how the wilderness works to his advantage. While he was doing that, another drama was playing out.

Tutu was told to head back to the others, but something Slade had said hit home. She knew she was not weak, and she did know, however, that she was sometimes reluctant to fight. Yet, she knew that he was trying to get her to hate her friends, and one thing that got her goat was when someone tried to play mind games with her. It was time for her to go back and make a point. As she was heading back, from her point of view, the Shadow appeared in front of her. "Good, you're okay," she said, "Did he hurt you?"

"There is nothing bruised beyond my pride," she said, "But now I go to help those that have helped me. If they think me helpless, they shall soon find out otherwise."

"Hey, you're far from helpless!" said Shadow, "You can trust me on that. However, if Slade thinks you're helpless, then let's go prove him wrong!"

Tutu smiled as they headed off into the woods to find Slade.

Slade and Batman were clashing hard, and neither could get the better of the other. However, Batman always lived by the code of "fight smarter, not harder," and led the fight into the brush. Using that to his advantage, he started to cause Slade to make mistakes that were getting him riled. Yet, just before Batman could put the finish on him, Slade decided to try to turn the thing around and headed into the woods himself. He wasn't running away, but he was going to try to set something up. He had not gotten far when he came to a clearing, and there stood Tutu with both her fans out, angry and determined. She did not get like this often, but there was one thing about Princess Tutu—she had no quit in her. She was the kind of person that had enough optimism to be able to find the solution to anything if she set her mind to it. This would be no different. Before Slade could speak, she said, "There is one thing that is partially right in what you said—there are powers that you do not know about, but powers with which I am greatly familiar."

The area then began to glow like day as the astral swan began to form around her. She then said, but not in the way she normally would, "Dance with me!"

Her eyes also began to glow brightly enough to where pupils and irises were no longer seen. Slade moved in, but he fast found himself fighting for his life. Combining the Tai Chi and Aikijutsu that Claire had taught her with this state, she was a formidable opponent, and something Slade found out too late. He tried to move in, but he was being rattled and made to stumble around like a fool, combined with fan strikes that were leaving gashes in the armor. In short, she was hacking him up, and for the first time in his life, he actually began to fear for his life! He did not want this fight anymore, and charged down a path, and suddenly began to feel like he had been struck by lightning. He screamed, and a voice spoke right into his head, "Scream all you want, Slade—no one is coming to your rescue!"

"You again!" he said, extremely frustrated that he could not find her. He tweaked and fine tuned his sensors as to where he thought he could detect her, but he had no clue that the problem had nothing to do with his equipment. There was nothing he could do to tweak his brain for this. He tried to take a couple more steps, but he was hit again with the shock. "I don't care how much you think times have changed, Slade," said the sinister voice, "When will you learn that no matter how powerful you think you are—crime does not pay!"

He started to swing wildly, but he might as well be trying to fight a dust devil, because there was no way he could keep up with her. She was also being more careful after what she had learned with the twig. He was actually now quite terrified. He had the ballerina who fought like an archangel behind, him, a ghost tormenting him with no way to lash back, the Batman down the road, and a crazed bounty hunter somewhere around lusting for his blood. He tried to turn and run, and ran right into Magpie who was giving him the fight of his life. Because of his panicked state, this time the Magpie was pummeling him! His armor had come off in places now, and now exposed flesh was getting struck. He laid out another smoke screen and ran back to the clearing. However, when the White Swan dropped down, the smoke instantly dissipated, and she was beating the tar out of him, every blow empowered by her doubled strength in the form of Tutu, and the empowerment of the astral swan. A spinning kick sent Slade reeling right into the Shadow, who now pressed both tazers on him and kept them there. He screamed like a woman as Magpie came over the top with a flying kick. He staggered back into the middle of the clearing, where Tutu flung her astral attack at Slade as she said, "Say 'good night' Gracie!"

He did a flip as he flew through the air about ten feet and landed hard, and unconscious. Tutu collapsed with a massive headache, and she was exhausted.

Batman came with Nightwing and the White Knight in short order. When they saw the glow, Batman asked what was going on, and White Knight smiled as he told Batman what that meant. They all headed in that direction in time to see Tutu's final attack, and the Magpie restraining him. Batman then came up to search Slade thoroughly to ensure that he had no tricks that would free him, and he then looked at Tutu. "Are you okay?" said Batman.

"Just give me a few minutes, and I'll be fine," responded Tutu.

Nightwing then said, "Well, I guess someone else has learned not to underestimate the strength and ferocity of a swan when she has something to protect."

Batman then said to the Magpie, "Well, it looks like you have your payday."

"True," said Magpie, "And with the money I already have, I could get out of the game, but…"

"But what?" said Batman, with a crack of a smile on his mouth.

"Yes, I could retire and live off the interest of the investments I will make with it," responded Magpie, "But after tonight, I see the higher cause better than I ever have. You almost want to make me do this for fun!"

"You are certainly welcome to join the team," said White Knight, "You are also welcome, Shadow."

"I'll consider it," she said, not sounding too comittal.

"What would we call ourselves?" asked Tutu.

"In truth, with Raven joining us, we really have two teams in one," answered White Knight, "We would have the Secret Six..."

"...and me, Magpie here, and the Raven could call ourselves the Sadow Force," said the Shadow.

"Nice you name it after yourself, kid!" laughed Magpie.

"Hey, if my neck is on the line, you'b better believe it!" said a confident Shadow.

"Then I guess, in keeping with things," said Tutu, "We could call ourselves 'The Madrigal.'"

Batman smiled and laughed, saying, "I couldn't have thought of a better name!"

7


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Constable Brock and his department, Fawcett City's best, and with help of the National Guard, arrested all involved. With the information given, the state police, with the help of the federal government, froze the assets of his corporation, and began to make arrests for all that may have been involved. However, Dr. Savannah was long gone, and now his want for revenge would extend past Captain Marvel and go all the way to the Justice League and the Madrigal as well. However, he found that he would not have safe haven at Lexcorp, because Luthor was smart to ensure that anything being traced back to him was successfully and completely erased and expunged. One thing was certain, though; he had sunk a lot of money into his effort, and came up empty handed again at the hands of the Justice League, and now by these upstart youths who would hope to carry on the league's traditions. He sat in his office, staring at the news reports, seething, and beginning to ponder how to redouble his efforts to remove the superhero from the face of the earth. Everyone on his staff knew better than to interrupt him at this point, because to do so flirted with death. He saw the image of Princess Tutu on the screen, and he said, "If it's the last thing I do, you and the Big Red S are going to pay dearly, and die the slowest, most excruciating death of which I can conceive!"

The fundraiser, because of its global reach, was able to raise up about $200 billion. This would not only rebuild the school, but actually expand its size. They would rebuild, and add more campus to the outside of the walls, and wall that in as well. This would allow for more students, and the surplus could be added to the overall trust to lower tuition, and give less fortunate, but no less talented youths a chance. They would more than likely have to maintain the tent city for most of the year, but they knew that the next year, they would be back again in a fully functioning campus, and the complete project would be done about three years later. To celebrate this great victory, Tanya St. John decided to put on the Firebird in relation to the Phoenix, in that, like the Phoenix, the school had risen from the ashes, and would be greater than it ever had been. What surprised everyone was that Starfire, (under her alias,) decided to stay on the dance staff, at least for the year. She loved teaching, and loved being with the students. As a result of her being there, many of the students advanced even faster in their skills because of her light, bubbly, yet disciplined attitude in everything. She could also be an on stage presence like Mr. Katt had been, and that caused everyone to squeeze out every ounce of effort that they could in their dance and performance. When it came time for the special performance, it was decided that Nana would get the role of the firebird, and she danced it with the vigor and flair of an advanced student. Uzzura sat in the audience with Fakir, Rue, and Mytho, (who were back at the Fawcett City Ballet,) amazed at all she saw, and they had a whale of a time keeping her quiet. She was so amazed, and also quite happy for Nana as she danced. The other three of the six were hip deep in the performance, and it was such a grand pleasure to know that all you had done outside of the show to make it possible made their lives worth living.

After the show, at the post show gathering, Fakir and Mary were with the rest of the team, and Fakir was gushing over her performance. They did not like being apart again, but they knew that, in a month's time, the theater would be open, and that they would be together more often. However, that night, there would be something happen to insure that they would never be apart. "_Liebling__,_" said Fakir, "We have been through so much together, and it has been such a grand time with you."

She just nodded her head contentedly and hummed an affirmation. He then said, "I would dare say that you and I have been through much, and I would say that I could not have gone through this without you."

"And what you are saying…is…?" Mary said, waiting for him to finish the sentence, having a good feeling where this was going. Fakir then said, "Because of that, I know that if I ask you something, you would tell me truthfully, yes?"

"Of course," she said, "And…"

"I was wondering," he said, "Do you think I should switch from by black practice tights and blue shirt to maybe a navy blue or a dark green?"

"Oh darling I…_practice clothes?_" she said, "Of all the rotten tricks…" and she slugged his arm as she began to berate him a bit. But when she spun around, she found a sizable diamond in her face attached to a gold ring. This was followed by, "Just say you'll marry my, for crying out loud!"

Her laughter and slight frustration with him melted away in an instant, and she then embraced him in a bear hug, saying, "Yes, yes, oh yes!" and kissing him multiple times. To this, the rest of the team applauded, and Fakir said, "This will have to be a long engagement, because you still have to finish school, but say that you will be there when you are done."

"As long as the six of us are together, I'll be with you all the way," Mary blissfully responded, to which Ahiru said, "As long as there is a need for heroes, I think we have nothing to worry about."

It was December 12th, and it was the start of the Winter Extravaganza. The spotlights were seen for miles to lead people to the secluded theater in the woods known as the Raven's Nest. It was the grand opening of the theater in which the Pas De Six held court. Not only was this a great moment for the team, but it was also a triumph for Kinkan of sorts, in that there was still a school that could put on such a show. The extravaganza would also include the alumni show, and they all came for the entire week to celebrate the rebirth of Kinkan. Because of who some were, it looked more like a Hollywood premier. It started with a stage version of _A Christmas Story,_ where Billy played the son and main character of the story, though he had just turned 16. Because of his boyish looks, he pulled it off with panache that the others on the team knew well. That was followed the next night by the orchestra and vocal school performing the Christmas Oratorio by Bach. The next night was the dance department, and all disciplines were going to get involved with this, as they decided to do a show called _The "Other" Christmas Ballet._ However, it was more than a ballet, as it contained many styles of dance, and it was a comedy. The presence of Starfire in the cast, complete with her orange skin hue, made it such a gas that some people were literally being knocked from their seats and needed to be put back into them! The next night was the student variety show, but conspicuously absent was the Pas De Six. They were going to be putting on their own show to round it off that Saturday night after the alumni did their thing. However, Mai, Youma, and Nana got together to do a Victorian scene of three sisters on Christmas Eve, done with a bit of comedy in it, (leftover from the night before,) as done to "the Dance of the Hours." Rachel gave a classical set of songs, and Uzzura got together with two others in a jazz trio.

After the Alumni Show, the Pas De Six gave a Christmas show, filled with song, dance, comedy, and serious performance that seemed to finish the week well, and seemed to christen the theater as well. The one thing of note was that the Teen Titans and many members of the Justice League were there in their alter egos for the show, of which they were grateful. After the show was the after show gathering, and it was there that they bumped into the principle members of the league. Bruce Wayne walked up and said, "Congratulations, kids; I am so glad to see that the money was well spent here."

"It is even better to know that we have paid you back completely, and this will be ours, lock, stock, and barrel," said Mytho.

As they talked, they could not help but notice that Lex Luthor had come to see the show! However, he was keeping his distance from Wayne and the kids for obvious reasons. Ahiru then said, "I can't believe that he had the nerve to come here after all he did!"

"That's just his way," said Diana Prince, to which Clark Kent added, "He is a glutton for punishment. He actually is probably coming here to strengthen his resolve to destroy all superheroes by watching you six in action, and allowing himself to see what he had lost by your success."

It was then that Bruce pulled out what looked like a deed and finalization papers that would turn over possession of the theatre to them. He then got to the main table where the refreshments were and announced, "Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have your attention, please?"

People gathered around and they gave ear as Bruce continued, "As many know, the Wayne Foundation sponsored the building of this theater for the six you see here, and they have had partial ownership. However, with the success of their first album in the stores and on the charts, along with their shows, they have been able to pay the foundation back in full, and today is the day when this facility becomes their possession."

He then held up the paperwork and displayed for everyone what they would be signing, saying, "With their signatures, I shall officially sign over possession of this theater to them, and it will be with the greatest hopes that the act will be together for many more years to come."

With that, he laid out the papers and pens for their signatures. Everyone applauded as they began to sign, but as they did, Bruce looked over the kids to see the back of Luthor heading out the theater. Bruce gave a glance to Clark, and the both gave themselves a nod, as Clark said, "Some people just never learn."

It was now Sunday, and the six, along with Rachel and Elly, were in the airport, with the latter two there to see them off. Everyone was on the arm of who they would normally be with, and just content to say nothing and enjoy one another's company. They sat outside the security check for a while, everyone talking about that semester's events, and their adventures. Elly then said, "So, how much action are we going to see as heroes?"

"Being a superhero is like being a weirdness magnet," said Rachel, "For some reason, it just finds you, and maybe more to do with the fact that, because we are what we are, we are more on the lookout for things."

"Has Johnny seen the nest yet," asked Rue, referring to the crime fighting home behind the theater.

"We gave him the grand tour during the show week," said Fakir, "and his eyes nearly came out of his head. He never had access to the kind of things he saw in there before, and he said he wished he had when he was bounty hunting. He also said that it would be nice to live there, considering that he could now do his thing full time."

"Is there a place for him," asked Mary.

"We are going to carve out a new room for him in one of the spare side caves that we have used as a storage room, but we never really filled," said Mytho, "In fact, it almost seems like we are becoming the Hall of Justice—Appalachian Branch."

"Well, actually…" said Billy, trailing off.

"You mean they are actually considering it?" asked Ahiru.

Billy handed out to everyone their membership cards and league rings, saying, "Welcome to the Justice League!"

They were all joyous, but they had to stifle it, lest they draw undue attention to that matter. The time then came for those flying out to go, and as they queued up, they heard _That's Amore_ being played from a nearby Italian restaurant, and Billy then said, "They're playing our song!"

"I hope we can dance to that forever," said Ahiru, and they kissed passionately. Billy then said, "I'll be by on the 21st, and then there is the party at JLA main HQ like last year."

"I can't wait," said Ahiru as the tune went on, and they went their ways. As they did, Rachel sounded like she was softly humming the tune as they started to make their way out of the airport with Billy, Mary, and Elly. Billy then teased, "Is it me, or do I actually hear the Raven humming a happy tune?"

"It's catchy," she said, and then conceded, "Just don't broadcast it, okay?"

"It seems like your whole attitude has changed since, well, you know," said Elly.

Rachel then smiled and said, "I hope it continues to do so, as long as a certain princess we know and love can be there to dance and guide my heart."

Appendix A

Name: The Magpie

Real Name: Johnny White Wolf

Age: 33

Height: 5' 9"

Weight: 220 lbs

Occupation: former bounty hunter and now full time superhero.

Appearance: Alleghany Native American who normally wears jeans, calf length moccasins, blue button down shirt, fringed leather jacket, long, black hair tied in back, and a U.S. Cavalry hat with an eagle feather in the back. As a hero, he wears all black motorcycle racing suit with a white bird on the front, black racing boots with metal race plates on the shins, white biking gloves, white utility belt, black helmet with bird's eyes on the sides, a beak like visor and a mask that covers his nose and mouth. He also wears a black cape with white tips fashioned to look like bird wings.

Powers: No powers, but a physical specimen, expert in military hand-to-hand and Jeet-Kun-Do.

Equipment: Equal to that of Batman, as well as a BMW motorcycle.

History: Johnny grew up in the mountains and hills in which the tribe reservation resides. Despite being a native, he actually had a normal childhood and adolescence, and experienced little in the way of discrimination. (It was only during his time as a bounty hunter that he ever saw any of this.) When he turned 18, he decided to join the army and became a cavalry scout. It was during his stay in the Philippines that he began to gain a desire to be a crime fighter after seeing how rampant it was in some areas of the big cities there. When stationed in the states, he saw the same thing, but in a more subtle way, and that cinched his want to do something about it in his life. After his time in, he entered the police academy, hoping to become an average police officer. However, about three quarters of the way through the course, he became disenchanted with this, because he realized how limiting the life of a police officer can be, and it would actually hinder his want to fight crime in the way he knew it needed to be fought. He then quit the academy and entered the world of bounty hunting. This seemed to satisfy his itch a bit more, but as he saw how things worked, he felt the need to develop an alter ego that would divert attention off him. In other words, if anyone decided to come back for revenge, they would seek for someone who could never be found or pegged down, because there was no place for which to look for him, considering he only existed during a bust. All this changed when he met the Secret Six.

Name: The Shadow

Real Name: Elly Campbell

Age: 17

Height: 5'4"

Weight: 250 lbs, (at start of story,) 125 lbs, (at end.)

Occupation: Creative arts school student.

Appearance: Long, brown hair done in a pony tail tied high. Normally wears jeans or long skirts with high heel leather boots, hoodies, and rarely has a moment when she does not have some kind of music blaring into her ears. As hero, she wears a long black skirt, a black hoody with the hood up, a black scarf that covers her nose and mouth, black Ray Bans.

Powers: _Mental mind clouding_—this ability allows her to cloud people's minds to where she seems to be invisible to them, and she has along with that the ability to talk into people's heads so that there would be no way that anyone could pinpoint her position.

_Clairvoyant Reading:_ If there is any paper or books left lying around where she is, she can read them from wherever she stands, even if she was across the room from them.

Equipment: Normally carries two high powered tazers that she secretly confiscated from the hero Blue Beetle near the end of this story.

History: She seemed to be the average all-American kid growing up until she reached the age of fourteen when she caught the chronic version of mononucleosis that put her out of commission and society for about two years. During that time, she gained her aptitude for art and drawing, spending time on this whenever she was conscious. However, during the worst part of that illness, she had slipped into a coma for a week, as a complication to the illness caused a section of her brain's wiring that dealt with mental communication within one of the hemispheres to disconnect. However, her brain corrected this by reconnecting through a dead zone, and it seemed to be that which unlocked her abilities. When she was well, she was enrolled into Kinkan, but she only used her abilities for her own personal needs, unaware of their full potential. It was then she first met Princess Tutu, and then the rest of the Secret Six, and her potential were made known to her. At first, it seemed that she would go into the world of heroes being dragged kicking and screaming. However, as the story progressed, she began to gain a love for it, especially when it became known to her that there had been another hero in the 1930s that was called The Shadow, and could do what she could, save for the reading ability. However while he learned how to do what he did, she had it come purely by happenstance. Yet, once she understood the legacy of that hero, and just how powerful he was because of what he could do, she was honored to take up the mantle and reintroduce The Shadow to the world.

Name: The Raven

Real Name: same as above, but goes by Rachel Roth when in civilian clothes

Age: Mentally, 26, physically 17

Height: 5'6"

Weight: 135 lbs

Occupation: full time superhero, currently posing as an art school student.

Appearance: Long back and straight hair, parted in the middle with no fancy styles, fair complexion, very Lauren Bacall facial features, shapely build, seen the greater percentage of the time wearing a purple leotard, purple high heel boots, purple arm sheaths that open at the fingers, and a long black purple cloak with a hood that hides most of her face, and hangs down in a point like a beak.

Powers: _Teleportation_: she can teleport wherever she wishes, and can even bring a small group with her.

_Astral form powers:_ she can take her astral form and use it for many things—telekinesis, force shields, energy bolts, mind linking, and her astral attack, which is her most powerful attack. A black silhouette with a gold aura rises up from her, then shapes into a raven and strikes her opponent with anywhere from a mild stun to a killing blow.

_Healing_: Like Mytho, she can heal in the same ways as he.

_Empathy_: Same as Mytho, but she does not say much about it.

History: Raven was the daughter of a human female and a demon named Trigon: the Destroyer of Worlds. His modus operandi is normally to seduce that realms dominant sentient species, have offspring, and use that offspring as a portal in to rule a world, and then destroy it once his amusement with it has ended. This happened to Raven's mother on earth, but before Trigon could take her, old wise men and wizards from another dimension, who fought against Trigon, whisked her away to their land known as Azrath. It was there that her mother and she were taken care of, and the wise men and wizards of that land trained her to use her abilities for good. However, when she was about 13, Trigon showed up to find his daughter, and forced her to reveal the dark powers within her, and he knew that he had succeeded in creating another portal. Soon, Trigon destroyed Azrath, but before he did, she escaped to our realm, and she was found by the Teen Titans. They nursed her back to health, and when she found out what they did, she was more than happy to join them. However, she was reluctant to associate with them at all because of the prophecy about Trigon. Eventually, she was used as the portal, and Earth was ravaged. Trigon cast her away as he had done others, but not so the Titans. They found her as a 13 year old girl with no memories of the past, but thanks to Robin, (then, Dick Grayson,) she was able to gain them back, and she retook her normal form. Because she was now feeding off the good spirits of her friends, she took her power joined with that, and together they both defeated and destroyed Trigon, and the Earth was restored as if nothing happened. After this, she became more open, but some opportunistic group called the Wildebeest Society, filled with souls possessed by the essence of Trigon left in them, kidnap her, and force the essence left in her to turn her to evil. After a long struggle with the Titans, her body is destroyed, but her soul self, (astral form,) survived, and a new body genetically rose out of the ashes of the old, free at last from the grip of her father. As a result, she was in a teenage body again, and this was when she first started to use the alias "Rachel Roth," the last name being that of her mother. However, her soul self still had the leftovers of Trigon, which gave her the abilities she had, but with Tutu's help she taught Raven that she controlled it, and not the other way around. The rest is depicted in this and the first story.

Appendix B: Kinkan Reborn

Once the campus is finished, the school will have doubled in area, with a new wall around the campus. However the old wall remains and it does for good reasons. Inside those walls, every single building that had been there was rebuilt to their old dimensions, with the same edifices that had been there before the fire. However, internally, they will be completely modernized. Outside the old walls the new buildings will have the same look and feel as the old buildings, but they will be their own designs. The old wall is being painted on the outside in a mosaic all the way around the wall designed by Elly Campbell and a few of her friends in the creative arts department depicting the history of Kinkan Matzuzama and the school, including the rise of the Pas De Six, the fire, and finishing off on the other side with the school rising from the ashes like a phoenix. On the area where the gates are, the Madrigal is depicted, with the Secret Six on one side, and the Shadow Force on the other. By those gates a plaque is set bearing the following inscription:

"This art work was done by the students of Kinkan in dedication to the firefighters that lost their lives in attempting to keep this school alive, and to all those that did all they could to see it rise from the ashes. Dedicated on the 14th day of April, 2009."

Students that enter what they are now dubbing the old school seem to enter now with a sense of reverence, and instinctively tread the grounds lightly.

Appendix C: An Apologetic

Ever since I put up this story to the public, the hardcore fans of the anime version of Princess Tutu have come down hard on me. They have become angry that I did not have Fakir and Ahiru together, and how it seemed that I completely destroyed the story. However, I put an explanation at the start of the original Secret Six story as to why things were the way they were, but that did not seem enough for some. Therefore I am going to demonstrate the reasons why I did what I did by doing a compare and contrast between the anime and manga versions of the original tale.

Initially, the anime version was the first done and the most well known. The manga actually came out after, and sadly, seemed like an afterthought. Worse, not many know of the existence of the manga version of this tale because there were only two manga done for the whole story, and because they were so radically different than the anime, many panned them. However, there were also many who enjoyed them, and I can understand the reason for the differences, because there would be no way to convey the same power and message in a print form that the anime delivered. They therefore had to go a completely different route. Because of the lack of knowledge there is about the manga, I am going to mark many of the differences here, and I hope that, along with the explanation I gave in the first Secret Six story, will give you an idea why things turned out the way that they did.

Anime: Kinkantown, (Goldkronesburg,) was clearly in a Germanic country.

Manga: Setting is vague.

Anime: Ahiru is exactly that—a duck that turned into a human.

Manga: Ahiru Arima is quite human.

Anime: Rue is a bit stuck up, but has a good heart.

Manga: Rue Kuroah is, for the first part, self-centered and stuck up.

Anime: There are indications that Mytho was really a fictional character that literally came to life.

Manga: Mytho was an orphan like Fakir, and they grew up together.

Anime: Drosselmyer is clearly the villain and evil puppet master.

Manga: Nowhere to be seen.

Anime: Ahiru's friends are Pique and Lillie.

Manga: Ahiru's friends are Mai and Youma.

Anime: Edel is a mechanical doll created by Drosselmyer to be his presence in the story, and is not really a villain.

Manga: Edel is quite human and the central villain.

Anime: Uzzura is in the second season.

Manga: Doesn't exist.

Anime: Caught in a story that will not become reality until the story is over.

Manga: Reality from the word "go".

Anime: Regaining heart shards to finish the story.

Manga: Regaining heart shards in order for Edel to try and sacrifice it for the raven.

Anime: Rue was kidnapped as a child by the raven for his use.

Manga: Rue was always a normal girl who became Kraehe to stop the restoration of the heart to keep it from being sacrificed to the raven.

Anime: Kraehe is a villain until she realizes the truth of her past and turns.

Manga: Kraehe is an anti-hero that realizes the error of her ways, and Rue gives up being Kraehe.

Anime: Mytho, (Siegfried,) and Rue are wed at the last.

Manga: The love triangle between Ahiru, Rue, and Mytho is not resolved, though, with Fakir, they become good friends.

Anime: Fakir and Duck fall in love, (as was intended by the creator of the characters.)

Manga: Relationship is not there, (which is important for you Fakir fangirls to understand, and why I did not go that route here, as I have based this off the manga.)

Anime: Duck wants to dance the pas de deux with Mytho as Miss Duck, but never gets that.

Manga: Ahiru wants the same thing, and gets it when Rue feigns a sprained ankle, and gives the lead of Swan Lake to Ahiru to show that she has changed, and wants to be a friend.

Anime: Anthropomorphs all over the place.

Manga: Mr. Katt is the only carryover.

I could go on, but I think you can see by this that the two stories are very different. Now, I did write a story that you can find put up under my authorship that is a continuation of the anime that does reflect the things within it, and if that is what you prefer, then I would ask that you would read that, because that one has been well received, and I think you might get more satisfaction out of it. As far as the crossover goes, I explained all that in the preface of the first Secret Six story, so it has been my hope that you did read that, and that story, first before reading this, or else you had to have been completely confused! Thus, for all the "Fakir and Duck forever or else" people out there who have been calling for my head on a silver platter, please understand the differences, and do try to read the manga as well, if you can find it, (they are now hard to find.)

9


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